Tyring Teens as Adults
a paper on trying teens as adults
Trying Teens as Adults: Unfair
English 111
Leo Dabbs
10/21/2012
The topic of trying teenagers like adults is quite a controversial issue in America. Some say that the teenage brain is not capable of making rational decisions due to immaturity, and therefore, shouldn’t be place in the same judicial system as adults.
There are many view points on this issue. The view points from the ones supporting juveniles being locked up with adult offenders say that the crime rate among juveniles has gone down since there have been bigger reprocessing for their actions. They claim that locking these teens up keeps us safer and that they should have “exclusion” provisions, which say certain crimes should be tried in adult courts. Many of the states in America try juveniles as adults in some form or another, with so many different crimes there is plenty of grey area in this matter. This gives this issue room to have many opposing viewpoints.
Many Americans are against the youth being integrated with adults all together. Many scientific studies with factual evidence are that the human brain in developmental years is not capable of making adult decisions and reacts immaturely. The supports of this evidence believe that teen’s brains are still growing/changing and are quite capable of learning from their mistakes and should be in more of a rehabilitation facility instead of adult prison. Placing juveniles in adult prison some believe, only make the youth worse, if and when they are released. Donna Bishop, a northeastern University professor of criminal justice, says the rate at which convicted juveniles commit new crimes after release from jail is higher among juveniles tried as adults then among those that remain in the juvenile system. (Paul, 2000) Another view that is sort of in the “grey area” are the people that crime should be locked up for an extensive amount of time but believe through the adult
Trying Teens as Adults: Unfair
English 111
Leo Dabbs
10/21/2012
The topic of trying teenagers like adults is quite a controversial issue in America. Some say that the teenage brain is not capable of making rational decisions due to immaturity, and therefore, shouldn’t be place in the same judicial system as adults.
There are many view points on this issue. The view points from the ones supporting juveniles being locked up with adult offenders say that the crime rate among juveniles has gone down since there have been bigger reprocessing for their actions. They claim that locking these teens up keeps us safer and that they should have “exclusion” provisions, which say certain crimes should be tried in adult courts. Many of the states in America try juveniles as adults in some form or another, with so many different crimes there is plenty of grey area in this matter. This gives this issue room to have many opposing viewpoints.
Many Americans are against the youth being integrated with adults all together. Many scientific studies with factual evidence are that the human brain in developmental years is not capable of making adult decisions and reacts immaturely. The supports of this evidence believe that teen’s brains are still growing/changing and are quite capable of learning from their mistakes and should be in more of a rehabilitation facility instead of adult prison. Placing juveniles in adult prison some believe, only make the youth worse, if and when they are released. Donna Bishop, a northeastern University professor of criminal justice, says the rate at which convicted juveniles commit new crimes after release from jail is higher among juveniles tried as adults then among those that remain in the juvenile system. (Paul, 2000) Another view that is sort of in the “grey area” are the people that crime should be locked up for an extensive amount of time but believe through the adult
Citations: Hammod , S. (2008, 04). Adults or kids?. State Legislatures, p. 31-33. Locked up: should teens be tried as adults? (2008, 04 12) Weekly Reader publication p 1 Should he die?. (2004, 03 19). Current Events, pp. p1-3. Trumbull, M., & , (1995, 08 09). Trying teens as adults: Not always hard time. Christian Science Monitor, p. 3. Van Slambrouck, P. (2000, 02 04). When is 'get tough ' too tough on teens. Christian Science Monitor, p. 1.