Juvenile Delinquency
Trappings of childhood
When a child kills, does he instantly become an adult? Or does he maintain some trappings of childhood, despite the gravity of his actions? These are the questions oppressing our legal system today, as the violent acts of juvenile delinquencies continue to make headlines.
Some people believe that children should be tried as adults when prosecuted for certain serious crimes. Others feel that children should be tried as minors because they are not yet adults, and therefore, they should be treated differently. This is an important debate because how we choose to punish juveniles affects both our current and future society. Teens all over the world are being tried differently in court, and it is not fair to judge and punish them inconsistently for the same crime. I believe that, without exception, children under 18 should be tried as minors.
Our society has set 18 as the age of adulthood. Eighteen is when a person is expected to know what is right and wrong, and understand his responsibilities in the community. The responsibility to vote, sign contracts, make out wills, sign leases, and decide on medical treatment are not acquired until the age of 18. By 18, a person has experienced enough to know what he should and should not do. Then, why those under 18 are tried as adults? A person under 18 is a child and should be treated as such by the courts.
When juveniles receive a life sentence in adult prison, they never get a second chance. When they commit crimes and were punished properly, they should learn that their actions were wrong and not to do it again. Juvenile detention helps show their mistakes and gives them a second chance, while prison does nothing to help a child. Adults have already had their chance; they should know the difference between right and wrong by the time they cross into adulthood; therefore they deserve an adult sentence.
According to Dr. Brenda Plattner, affective dysregulation is at the heart of disturbances
When a child kills, does he instantly become an adult? Or does he maintain some trappings of childhood, despite the gravity of his actions? These are the questions oppressing our legal system today, as the violent acts of juvenile delinquencies continue to make headlines.
Some people believe that children should be tried as adults when prosecuted for certain serious crimes. Others feel that children should be tried as minors because they are not yet adults, and therefore, they should be treated differently. This is an important debate because how we choose to punish juveniles affects both our current and future society. Teens all over the world are being tried differently in court, and it is not fair to judge and punish them inconsistently for the same crime. I believe that, without exception, children under 18 should be tried as minors.
Our society has set 18 as the age of adulthood. Eighteen is when a person is expected to know what is right and wrong, and understand his responsibilities in the community. The responsibility to vote, sign contracts, make out wills, sign leases, and decide on medical treatment are not acquired until the age of 18. By 18, a person has experienced enough to know what he should and should not do. Then, why those under 18 are tried as adults? A person under 18 is a child and should be treated as such by the courts.
When juveniles receive a life sentence in adult prison, they never get a second chance. When they commit crimes and were punished properly, they should learn that their actions were wrong and not to do it again. Juvenile detention helps show their mistakes and gives them a second chance, while prison does nothing to help a child. Adults have already had their chance; they should know the difference between right and wrong by the time they cross into adulthood; therefore they deserve an adult sentence.
According to Dr. Brenda Plattner, affective dysregulation is at the heart of disturbances