length: 2004 words 5.7 double spaced pages don't do the crime, if you can't do the time. David grusin and morgan ames much controversy exists on the question of whether a juvenile criminal should be punished to the same extent as an adult. Those who commit capitol crimes, including adolescents, should be penalized according to the law.

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Many people claim that the child did not know any better, or that he was brought up with the conception that this behavior is acceptable. Although there is some truth to these allegations, the reality of this social issue is far more complex. Therefore we ask the question, should childhood offenders of capitols crimes be treated as adults? to begin with, numerous reasons for why a child acts in the manner he exhibits and why he continues to exert such dangerous and even fatal schemes. Recent research shows that factors ranging from inherited personality traits to chemical imbalances and damages suffered in the womb can increase the odds that a child will become violent johnson 234. They believe that influences such as repeated abuse, extreme neglect, poverty, media violence, and easy access to guns play the major role in molding children into criminals. The father of serial killer jeffrey dahmer wonders, if potential for evil is in the blood that some of us pass on to our children seifert 23. How children become violent acanthus publishing 1 edition 2006 wilson, james and herrnstein, richard.

Crime human nature: the definitive study of the causes of crime new york: free press, 1998. Cengage learning 6 edition, 2012 to view the full essay now, purchase below when you turn a certain age, you gain certain privileges. You achieve certain rewards 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.

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The age 18 sounds magical right? well, that’s because an 18 year old is considered an adult in nearly every state of the union, which is a pretty big deal for most teens. What most 18 year olds are not so happy about is the fact that they are no longer being tried for crimes in juvenile courts. A crime is a crime and for that reason juveniles who commit violent crimes should be tried in the same way as adults.

And boston are facing similar increases in violent juvenile crime despite the nation’s overall decline. During the past decade coincides with the fact that most states now permit minors to be tried as adults for violent crimes and all states have a procedure for transferring juveniles to the adult criminal system males and macallair. some of the transfers to adult court even occur automatically based on the juvenile’s age and crime. however, since this is governed by individual states, there is no consistency to which juveniles get transferred and for what crime which may explain why certain cities and areas are having more difficulty collier. This can be the case even if the crime is murder johnson. the juvenile court system may try a method of rehabilitation with the young criminal and return him or her to the streets very quickly. washington post march 29, 1998: c01. opposing viewpoints resource center. 27 november 2006. johnson, kevin. police tie jump in crime to juveniles. usa today. 13 july 2006. 27 males, mike and dan macallair. the color of justice: an analysis of juvenile adult should juvenile criminals be tried as adults? life is precious and we live it only once, however, what we do with it is to our own discretion.

It is a shame that many people at young ages decide to live a life of misdeeds and become what we call juvenile criminals, but, every action has a consequence and to deal with these unlawful adolescent we have the juvenile justice department. The juvenile justice system is a network of agencies that deal with juveniles whose conduct has come in conflict with the law. These agencies include police, prosecutor, detention, court, probation, and the department of juvenile corrections. However, when young offenders commit a series of crimes, constantly being in trouble with the law, they are waivered into adult court where they will be subject to any punishment available.

In some cases they are waivered into the adult system automatically such as in homicide cases. Being tried as adults exposes these juveniles to state penitentiaries and sentences up to life in prison without parole and even execution. But is this truly effective? do these juveniles have the capacity to truly understand the crimes they are committing? is there an age limit for introducing these juveniles into the adult justice system? is there something or someone behind the acts of these young offenders? these questions leave us wondering if this notion really is effective or is there a better way of handling young criminals. In ken stier’s article, getting the juvenile justice system to grow up , in time magazine, he affirms the fact that every year, some 200,0 youths are tried, sentenced or incarcerated as adults.

He also discusses how many advocates and academics argue that juveniles are not being given enough of a chance to turn their lives around after committing minor offenses. In agreement with stier, i consider that juveniles have greater possibility than adults to make a change in their lives with the right help, counseling and rehabilitation. Stier also states there is new brain research showing that the full development of the frontal lobe, where rational judgments are made, does not occur until the early to mid 20s. A deeper look into the psychological aspect of the difference between and adult criminal mind and a minor’s is established in norman poythress, frances j. Lexcen, thomas grisso, and laurence steinberg article: the competence related abilities of adolescent defendants in criminal court. Poythress and his colleagues state recognition of immaturity as a legitimate basis for adolescents’ impaired competence related abilities is consistent with concerns expressed by developmental psychologists that some adolescents may have impaired functional capacities in a legal context due to immature judgment and decision making. This being they are not fully mentally stable and developed in difference with adults who have full capacity and judgment to their actions this discarding criminal with mental incapacities. they also argue the fact that in most states they do not specifically analyze if a minor is competent to proceed in criminal court as a requirement for judicial waiver unless he or she presents a mental disorder.

Not all courts simple waiver them into adult trials some due follow a criteria in order to transfer a juvenile into criminal court. They focus on youths’ danger to the community, inability to rehabilitate in the juvenile justice system, and degree of sophistication and maturity. Juvenile delinquents tried as adults have to assume the same consequences as any other criminal and are subjected to state penitentiaries with inmates much older and who have probably committed crimes far more devious then they could ever have. These minors range from the ages of nine to twenty depending on the crime committed or on how many times they are prosecuted and believe to be unchangeable. They are exposed to the harsh cruelty of penitentiary life where most are raped, beaten, and subjected to any abuse seen and known in these prisons no matter their age, mental and emotional state. Most say: well serves them right for doing wrong or they should have never done what they did but how do we really know the circumstances around their criminal acts.

If scientists and psychologist who study the human brain and development determine they are not capable of full capacity and maturity and their brains are not fully developed as to rational judgment what is causing them to do such horrendous crimes such as murder? i consider society plays an important role in a child’s development and the way they are raised. If someone is raised in a violent environment where they physically or visually experience cruelty, they are more likely to do the same. We have to realize that the people around us influence or actions and our change of character. if the government, schools and local churches where to unite and truly help society’s dysfunctional homes and troubled teens there is a major possibility that crime rates will decrease, prison would not over populate, and teens would probably stay out of trouble if motivated to do so. Most young criminals are also controlled by organizations run by unlawful adults who promise them a way out of poverty and misery when they truly are shortening their lives. The different situations are endless but i believe they should not be implemented into adult penitentiaries, especially those younger than eighteen.