Should youths be tried as adults. Search 2022-11-02
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The question of whether youths should be tried as adults is a complex and controversial issue that has been debated for many years. On one hand, some argue that youths should be held accountable for their actions and that trying them as adults is necessary in order to deter crime and protect society. On the other hand, others argue that youths are not fully developed mentally and emotionally, and that they should be treated differently in the justice system in order to give them the opportunity to rehabilitate and learn from their mistakes.
One argument in favor of trying youths as adults is that it serves as a deterrent to crime. By imposing harsher penalties on young offenders, it is believed that it will discourage them and others from committing crimes in the future. This is especially important in cases where the offender has committed a particularly heinous crime, as it sends a strong message that such behavior will not be tolerated.
However, opponents of trying youths as adults argue that young people do not have the same level of judgment and impulse control as adults, and that they are more likely to be influenced by peer pressure and other external factors. They argue that it is unfair to hold young people to the same standards as adults, and that the justice system should take this into account when determining the appropriate punishment.
In addition, there is evidence to suggest that trying youths as adults can have negative long-term consequences. Research has shown that young people who are tried as adults are more likely to reoffend and end up in the criminal justice system again in the future. This is because they may not receive the same level of rehabilitation and support as they would in the juvenile justice system, which is specifically designed to address the needs of young people.
Overall, it is clear that the question of whether youths should be tried as adults is a complex and multifaceted issue. While there are certainly valid arguments on both sides, it is important to consider the unique developmental needs of young people and to strive for a justice system that is fair, rehabilitative, and effective at reducing crime.
DEBATE: Should courts treat juveniles like adults?
Research also shows that as youth mature, they are substantially less likely to re-offend; locking children up for years will extend their incarceration well beyond the time needed for them to be rehabilitated Juveniles can be tried as adults for crimes ranging from kidnapping, murder, rape, arson, robbery, torture, assault, and more. It does not reflect the understanding of the children in question. With statutory exclusion laws, the legislature has typically granted the adult criminal court exclusive jurisdiction over certain types of cases involving juvenile offenders. With this in mind, it would be unfair for a judge to pass the same judgment on a minor and an adult even though they have committed the same crime. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that youths in the adult criminal justice system are 34 percent more likely to be arrested again than those in the juvenile system, costing states millions more.
When looking at the racial demographics of the county which is where Seattle is located , only 6. A juvenile justice bill is awaiting final Congressional approval and contains similar measures for the federal system. Essentially, juveniles are emotionally immature and might not clearly understand their crimes. Some say stop trying them as adults and try them as juveniles, others say they must be tried as adults when they commit adult crimes. But when juveniles are let off easy, they learn that their actions have no consequence. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention report evaluated a study of outcomes for juveniles prosecuted in adult court rather than in juvenile court and found that there were counter-deterrent effects of transfer laws.
22 Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults Pros and Cons
If minors who commit violent crimes were tried as adults and punished the same way as adults are, the number of violent crimes committed by the youths of our generation would decline dramatically. It is only after their adolescent years are over that children become mature and begin to understand important concepts like society and expectations to name a few. The number of youths transferred under the direct file statute has decreased by 51 percent, from 15,665 to 7,619. In essence, they seek to apply a punishment that makes it less likely that the defendant would commit a similar offense in the future. She says that teens only care about their own point of view on things. With inmates losing hope and no rehab available, they may become more violent with time, and instead of committing minor crimes, they might carry out more serious ones Schwartz, 2018, p.
It is common for teens to mess up more than adults because their lack of knowledge and wisdom. At the age of 19-21 months infants start recognizing what is generally fair and can apply to many different situations, according to Psychology graduate Stephanie Sloane Association for Psychological Science. The Cons of Juveniles Being Tried As Adults 1. Typically, juveniles who display a propensity for committing crime will continue to do so, even as they get older. Should Juveniles Be Tried As Adults? Ex-adult convicts were able to become more useful members of society, even more so, juveniles who are still developing. In June, a 14-year-old boy was arrested after he threw a rock at police during a political rally in New Mexico. This act would see juveniles who are 14 years and over being tried as adults for any type of violent crime.
Should Juveniles Be Charged as Adults in the Criminal Justice System?
That represents about 7% of all the known murder offenders which are in the country. By the early 2000s, the youth and adult crime rate started dropping sharply, and more states simply started to realize this strategy of harsh youth sentencing simply didn't make much sense. Learn More Conclusion The main argument that has been identified in the essay is that juvenile offenders who have mostly committed violent crimes should be tried and prosecuted in the adult criminal court system. I believe there is another way of resulting this matter. If a young teenager is still developing in …show more content… It is very easy for a young teenager to get influenced by what other individuals around them are doing, and by how their behavior is. Even though they are juveniles because of their age, people under the age of 18 can commit severe crimes. In 2014, the Pew Charitable Trusts The survey displays the data states were collecting at the time and their varied standards.
Take the case of Nathaniel Brazill who was sentenced to 28 + 7 years in 2000 after being charged with the 2nd degree murder of his teacher, Barry Grunow. United States: Chelsea House Publishers, 2003. It can be difficult for people ages 16 to 24 because they are most likely victims of violence. . He was now facing a 10-year sentence.
Firstly, it is a problem to try juveniles as adults because their competency is not developed at the same level as an adult. Juveniles are children who fall under the age of 18 though in some states in the USA, this age is either set a little higher or a little lower and have committed a crime. He said a compromise will be a significant part of the final spending agreement with Democratic Gov. You're being charged as an adult now. A series of Supreme Court decisions, state policy changes and plummeting crime rates since the late 1990s have resulted in major reductions in the youth prison population.
Is it fair for one person, just seventeen years of age, to be tried in a juvenile court, receiving a lesser sentence for under than someone who is just 5 months older who committed the same crime? Therefore, juveniles between the ages 13 and 17 should not be tried as adults because, their development is still incomplete, their judgment is less mature, and transferring them to a criminal court is a complicated process. However, according to a research report by the School of law at the University of California, there is minimal, or no deterrence achieved through prosecution of minors as adults. Trial of juveniles as adults. If we don't have the expertise that the child needs, then between 24 to 72 hours, we will contact the individuals for the parent to take the child to get further assistance for that particular situation," says Emery James, who helped found the nonprofit advocacy group with Miles Mulrain. Studies have shown that the adolescent brain does not process jail time in the same way as an adult brain. When it comes to trying teens in court as adults. In many arguments against the policy, it is considered a benefit of the law, and more time is given to improving juveniles' comprehension capacity.
Many legal and juvenile experts have argued that trying juveniles as adults will only make things worse. A juvenile judge announced his charges, then apologized that he could no longer take up the case. What states can juveniles be tried as adults? If the point of juvenile courts is to deter and rehabilitate juveniles so that they can succeed as adults, then it is important to evaluate the success of that mission when a juvenile is charged as an adult in the criminal justice system. Setting this example and making it known that our cities will be tough on crimes will serve as a wake-up call. Eren and Mocan assert that people with criminal backgrounds often return to crime after their release 2021, p. Arguments For and Against Trying Juveniles in Adult Court Systems Arguments that have arisen for trying juvenile offenders as adults are that violence committed by juveniles is viewed to be a serious problem and it should be dealt with in an effective and efficient manner. Youth in the adult criminal justice system face a higher risk of sexual abuse, physical assault, and suicide.
