Adult Crime, Adult Time

Adult Crime, Adult Time A good argument needs not only logic and clear evidence, but also the establishment of a personal connection to the reader. In 1998, the Washington Post article “ Adult Crime, Adult Time” by Linda J.Collier is a well-created problem solution argument that almost fits this definition of a good argument. In this article, Collier argues that children who knowingly engage in adult conduct and crime should be punished as adults. Overall I agree with Collier’s argument that juveniles should be tried as adults and how the system is doing a poor job because she establishes herself as an authority on the topic of how the number of juvenile crimes increase, and why the juvenile justice laws should be revamped. She presents a logical argument that punishing kids as adults is rational , and she shares cases that make the readers empathize with the juvenile criminals. The authority is evident in Collier’s essay. Collier is an attorney, and she is currently dean of public services and social sciences at Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania. She has been the director of student legal services at Penn state University and special assistant for legal affairs to two college presidents in addition to teaching courses in sociology and criminal justice. Her background shows she has enough authority to discuss this issue. Return to her essay, Collier says that “she has represented children as a court-appointed guardian ad item, or temporary guardian,” ( par.6 ). and she gives the readers her experience about how the system is doing a poor job at treatment as well as punishment. Foe example:“the justice system lets a girl became a frequent runaway. Eventually she ended up pregnant, wandering from place to place and committing adult crimes to survive.”( par.7 ). Collier also tells the readers a brief history of proceedings in juvenile justice, general procedures, and the operating principle to make the essay