Should Juveniles Be Sentenced To Life In Prison Essay
Should Juveniles be Sentenced to Life in Prison?
“When I hear about people murdering, I wonder, What has to go through your brain to say, I don’t want him breathing anymore? What makes you get that angry? How can you take someone’s breath away? That just blows my mind?” (Gilbert Arenas). On June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court passed the law that juveniles can not be sentenced to life in prison, due to the violation of the Eighth Amendment, which was the ban of cruel and unusual punishment. However, if a child commits a murder then they should be tried as an adult, it is one of the worst crimes, they are intentionally killing, and the idea that the brain is underdeveloped does not justify their actions.
Murder has always been a dark topic in human history. It was used as the worst form of punishment to criminals. As civilization progressed, it only became more of a serious and …show more content…
However, the thought of murder is complicated enough to be seen as an unacceptable. “If brain development were the reason, then teens would kill at roughly the same rates all over the world. They do not.” (Jenkins), in Jennifer Jenkins article she explains how the argument of “underdeveloped” brains is not true. If it was than more cases would be happening all around the world. In the article “Greg Ousley Is Sorry for Killing His Parents. Is That Enough?” By Scott Anderson, he gives us an example of Greg Ousley, a 14 year old who killed his parents, and served 16 years for it. “The 14-year-old boy told his mother that he was scared, that all he ever thought about was murder and suicide.” (Anderson), Anderson quoting Greg Ousley. Greg Ousley was “scared” to have such developed thoughts, he knew that they weren’t acceptable. His thoughts themselves indicated that his brain was able to create such ideas. Murder isn’t something one just thinks
“When I hear about people murdering, I wonder, What has to go through your brain to say, I don’t want him breathing anymore? What makes you get that angry? How can you take someone’s breath away? That just blows my mind?” (Gilbert Arenas). On June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court passed the law that juveniles can not be sentenced to life in prison, due to the violation of the Eighth Amendment, which was the ban of cruel and unusual punishment. However, if a child commits a murder then they should be tried as an adult, it is one of the worst crimes, they are intentionally killing, and the idea that the brain is underdeveloped does not justify their actions.
Murder has always been a dark topic in human history. It was used as the worst form of punishment to criminals. As civilization progressed, it only became more of a serious and …show more content…
However, the thought of murder is complicated enough to be seen as an unacceptable. “If brain development were the reason, then teens would kill at roughly the same rates all over the world. They do not.” (Jenkins), in Jennifer Jenkins article she explains how the argument of “underdeveloped” brains is not true. If it was than more cases would be happening all around the world. In the article “Greg Ousley Is Sorry for Killing His Parents. Is That Enough?” By Scott Anderson, he gives us an example of Greg Ousley, a 14 year old who killed his parents, and served 16 years for it. “The 14-year-old boy told his mother that he was scared, that all he ever thought about was murder and suicide.” (Anderson), Anderson quoting Greg Ousley. Greg Ousley was “scared” to have such developed thoughts, he knew that they weren’t acceptable. His thoughts themselves indicated that his brain was able to create such ideas. Murder isn’t something one just thinks