Should Juveniles Be Charged As Adults Essay

Crime has been an issue in the United States for a very long time. In order to deal with these crimes the Department of Justice was officially created on July 1st, 1870. Large waves of immigration occurred bringing in many children and these children got involved in criminal activity. To deal with this the juvenile justice system was created to give minors a second chance and not put them with hardened adult criminals. This system was created a little more than a century ago and the severity of juvenile crime has increased. While committing these crimes juveniles have less to fear knowing that their sentence will be much easier than an adult's. This has led some to become reckless in their behavior. So, should juveniles be charged as adults when they commit heinous crimes? In short, yes.

Whenever a juvenile commits a serious crime
He recalled being unnerved being asked questions like “If I kill someone, can I be executed?” To which Garcetti responded “No.” He was also asked “ Right now, I'm under sixteen. If I kill someone, I get out of prison when I'm twenty five, right?” again Garcetti confirmed the boy's belief, “Right” he said. This juvenile only needs to weigh the risk and benefits to whatever he wants to do because the court system will not do to him what it would do to someone else over eighteen.

When the justice system decides to try criminals as juveniles the desired result is not always achieved. The only reason most are tried as juveniles in the first place is the belief that they can be rehabilitated and put back onto the right path. This idea is wonderful in theory but does not always work. Percy Campbell, twelve years old has been arrested multiple times. Not four or five though, this twelve year old has been arrested more than thirty times for a total of 57 crimes. Rehabilitation clearly does not work every