Juveniles Should Be Tried As Adults

When turning a certain age, certain privileges are gained. Certain rewards are achieved such as voting rights, the ability to purchase a house, the ability to purchase tobacco products at the local gas station, but most importantly the ability to be held responsible for your actions. The age eighteen sounds magical. Well, that’s because an eighteen-year-old is considered an adult in nearly every state of the union, which is a pretty big deal for most teens. What most eighteen-year olds are not so happy about is the fact that they are no longer being tried for crimes in juvenile courts. One or two years younger than eighteen does not make much of a difference. It is not fair for one person, just seventeen years of age, to be tried in a juvenile
A crime is a crime and for that reason Juveniles who commit violent crimes should be tried in the same way as adults.In general, however, it can be argued that violent crimes will decrease if a tougher penalty is assessed based on the juvenile being tried in adult court. The transfer to adult court whether it is automatic or requires legal review should be available in all cases of violent crimes committed by people in their teenage years. If these young people are committing adult crimes using adult methods such as guns and other means of violence, they should expect to be tried as adults (Collier). It is only logical to say that the juvenile has engaged in adult behavior and has declared him or herself an adult in crime. The states and/or federal government should see that as a signal that the person should be treated as an adult in the eyes of the court. Minors between the ages of eight and seventeen who have committed a murder should be tried as adults because of the understanding of right and wrong, youth face shorter sentences, and the misjustice to the victim's
Christopher Simmons case that includes the murder of Shirley Cook. Christopher Simmons seventeen, and Benjamin Tessmer sixteen, broke into the home of Shirley Cook. Simmons ordered Mrs. Crook out of her bed and onto the floor. While Benjamin guarded Mrs. Crook in the bedroom, Simmons found a roll of duct tape, and returned to the bedroom and bound her hands behind her back. They also covered her eyes with duct tape and covered her mouth. They walked Mrs. Crook from her home and placed her in the back of her mini-van. Simmons drove the van from Mrs. Crook’s home in Jefferson County to Castlewood State Park in St. Louis County.At the park, Simmons drove the van to a railroad trestle that spanned along the Meramec River. Simmons parked the van near the railroad trestle. He and Benjamin began to unload Mrs. Crook from the van and discovered that she had freed her hands and had removed some of the duct tape from her face. Using her purse strap, the belt from her bathrobe, a towel from the back of the van, and some electrical wire found on the trestle, Simmons and Benjamin found Mrs. Crook, restraining her hands and feet and covering her head with the towel. Simmons and Benjamin walked Mrs. Crook to the railroad trestle. There, Simmons bound her hands and feet together, hog-tie style, with the electrical cable and covered Mrs. Crook’s face completely with duct tape. Simmons then pushed her off the railroad track into the river below. At the time she