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Anonymous
Guest
Do you think it sounds fair that “cold-blooded” juveniles should be tried and sentenced as adults? I believe it’s fair only if the justice system modernizes the juvenile courts. In Greg Krikorian’s “Many kids called unfit for adult trial”, he states that there are juveniles that are as young as eleven years old. What’s there to do about these juvenile “delinquents” who are too young to stay up past their curfew? Juvenile court isn’t designed to handle such malicious behavior. In Tom Reilly’s “Youth Crime Has Changed—And So Must the Juvenile Justice System”, he states that up to now, the “juvenile court was designed more to protect the child than to punish bad behavior.” Bad juvenile behavior needs to be punished appropriately instead of being directly sentenced as adults.
Today, the juvenile justice system is still based on the “parens patriae” principle. In Tom Reilly’s “Youth Crime Has Changed—And So Must the Juvenile Justice System”, he states that the “parens patriae” was established in July 1899 that portrays “delinquents” as children who are capable of rehabilitation and were not fully responsible for their crimes. In the past, young children would commit crimes such as steal or “beat up” other children, but now you can find young children committing murder as well. In Marjie Lundstrom’s “Kids are kids—until they commit crimes”, she states that 12 year old, Lionel Tate, “savagely beat to death” a 6 year old girl. The juvenile justice system should punish “cold-blooded” juveniles by having a punishment similar to an adult but lighter. Instead of staying in jail for 25 years as adults would for a violent crime, I believe children should stay in jail for about ten years so that it is long enough for them to rehabilitate themselves and go back to their regular lives with their family and friends. The juvenile justice system needs to update its system so juveniles are recieving the appropriate punishment.
Sentencing children as young as eleven as adults doesn’t seem right. They are just kids after all. Young children are not fully capable in understanding the consequences to the trouble they get themselves into. In Greg Krikorian’s “Many kids called unfit for adult trial”, he states that children of eleven through thirteen years old were more likely to be “…’seriously impaired’ in the understanding the judicial process and aiding [the juvenile’s] own defense’, while 14 or 15 year olds were more likely to be “’seriously impaired’ in awareness and reasoning.” Instead of trying and sentencing young children as adults for violent crimes, the juvenile justice system should establish punishment fit for the juvenile’s age and crime. If a child around the age of eleven through fifteen years old commits a crime, instead of an adult sentencing, he or she should be put through juvenile court.
There are many violent crimes committed by a number of juvenile “delinquents”. In Tom Reilly’s “Youth Crime Has Changed—And So Must the Juvenile Justice System”, he states that violent crimes committed by juveniles is increasing “at double the rate” committed by adults. Pretty soon there would be more children causing more crimes than adults. There should be a new system for juveniles to be punished so juveniles are getting the punishment they deserve for their crimes.
Today, the juvenile justice system is still based on the “parens patriae” principle. In Tom Reilly’s “Youth Crime Has Changed—And So Must the Juvenile Justice System”, he states that the “parens patriae” was established in July 1899 that portrays “delinquents” as children who are capable of rehabilitation and were not fully responsible for their crimes. In the past, young children would commit crimes such as steal or “beat up” other children, but now you can find young children committing murder as well. In Marjie Lundstrom’s “Kids are kids—until they commit crimes”, she states that 12 year old, Lionel Tate, “savagely beat to death” a 6 year old girl. The juvenile justice system should punish “cold-blooded” juveniles by having a punishment similar to an adult but lighter. Instead of staying in jail for 25 years as adults would for a violent crime, I believe children should stay in jail for about ten years so that it is long enough for them to rehabilitate themselves and go back to their regular lives with their family and friends. The juvenile justice system needs to update its system so juveniles are recieving the appropriate punishment.
Sentencing children as young as eleven as adults doesn’t seem right. They are just kids after all. Young children are not fully capable in understanding the consequences to the trouble they get themselves into. In Greg Krikorian’s “Many kids called unfit for adult trial”, he states that children of eleven through thirteen years old were more likely to be “…’seriously impaired’ in the understanding the judicial process and aiding [the juvenile’s] own defense’, while 14 or 15 year olds were more likely to be “’seriously impaired’ in awareness and reasoning.” Instead of trying and sentencing young children as adults for violent crimes, the juvenile justice system should establish punishment fit for the juvenile’s age and crime. If a child around the age of eleven through fifteen years old commits a crime, instead of an adult sentencing, he or she should be put through juvenile court.
There are many violent crimes committed by a number of juvenile “delinquents”. In Tom Reilly’s “Youth Crime Has Changed—And So Must the Juvenile Justice System”, he states that violent crimes committed by juveniles is increasing “at double the rate” committed by adults. Pretty soon there would be more children causing more crimes than adults. There should be a new system for juveniles to be punished so juveniles are getting the punishment they deserve for their crimes.
