What are your thoughts on juveniles receiving the death penalty? For or against and why?

Question

In this case, there is no doubt about the murderers because they confessed. However, soon after they were charged the US Supreme Court ruled against juveniles getting the death penalty. I am curious what the general public feels/thinks. One of my very close family members was ruthlessly murdered by 2 teenage boys. This was after the same boys beat an elderly man to death in a neighboring county. Thanks for any input!

Answer 1

I feel if it's premeditated and they KNEW better, kill them.. I live in the city where one of the school shootings took place.. The boys went to jail and one recently got out at age 21..within 1 week was arrested for DWI and carrying a handgun.. These boys planned the murders for weeks and told students that something was going to "happen". So it's not like they did it on the spur of the moment.. Most of these "kids" will kill again.. How many people on death row killed as a juvenile..more than anyone knows because they record is sealed when they are 21.

Answer 2

Well, I'm for it, in most situations. I think its to arbitrary to place a certain age (no legally they must be 18) on it because really, how do you differentiate between a 17 yr. old and an 18 yr. old? Is there really that big of a responsibility, maturity, accountability, etc. difference between the two? I don't personally think so. I also feel that a 14 year old who murders somebody in cold blood is fundamentally screwed up. In some ways I think juveniles who commit heinous murders are more deserving of the death penalty. The reason is because if they are that cold, heartless, and morally bankrupt at that young of an age, what lies ahead? Juveniles have had such little life experience (such a short span of time to become so "angry") and they have even less excuse for that cold-blooded mentality. Darkstar above me mentioned putting a13 year old to death for killing someone that had molesting them for years. Although I understand her point, the reality is that this type of murder isn't one that would usually even get the death penalty if the person was 18. That's different than putting to death a juvenile who stabbed his teacher to death because he got a bad math grade and then started stabbing other students (just a crazy example). If the crime would get the death penalty for an adult (which in reality, murder has to be pretty bad now-a-days to get that) then it should be applied to juveniles as well.

Answer 3

A ruthless murdered by a Juveniles....Give them the death Senates.

I'd beet anything that the 2 teenage boys that murdered your family member where punks and or school bully's.
I have no pity for punks or bully's.

A teenager killing some is no different then an adult killing someone.
the out come is still the same you took a life.

Self defense or an accident is totally different.....

A lot of people may say lock them up and throw a way the key.
Not me I don't want my tax Dollars going for the up- keep of a murderer ,
I rather have my tax dollars go to the homeless.
Not to keep a murderer a live.

I'm for it ....big yes.

And bull Shi* a teenager knows right from wrong , there just sorry thy get cough not sorry fro wthat thy did.

Answer 4

I am very sorry to read about your loss. The teens who did this should be sentenced to life and the key should be thrown out. Youth is not an excuse.

Apart from the hard facts about the death penalty, you should know that a death sentence can be very hard on the family members of a murder victim. Death penalty trials last longer because they are much more complicated. Once a person is sentenced to death the appeals begin. Families are forced to relive their ordeal in the courts and in the media, rather than focusing on their own needs, with the people they love.

Victims who support the death penalty in principal have testified before state legislatures that they prefer life without parole because of the effect of death sentences on families like theirs. Life without parole is sure, swift, means exactly what it says (23 hours a day in a tiny cell) and it is rarely appealed. It is available in 48 states.

There are other reasons to oppose the death penalty. One is the fact that over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. Many had spent over a decade on death row. If the process were speeded up these people would now be dead.

Other facts about the death penalty- it costs more than life sentences, and it is not a deterrent (states with the death penalty have higher murder rates than states without it.)

Revenge should not replace common sense, based on verifiable facts.

Answer 5

That's really a tough question. I am all for the death penalty. However I don't know if I'd agree with children getting it. If above 18 and able to understand what their actions can do and have done sure. If lets say 13 some don't fully understand what their actions can do because they see so much on TV and can not disassociate reality from fiction. However if the teenagers you speak of did the crimes your claiming obviously they need help. Most kids are NOT tha violent

Answer 6

This is a very "touchy" situation. Even though murder is terribly wrong, I still don't believe it is up to us to decide who is to die; no matter how old the individual is. A teenager is at a very vulnerable age and people DO change.

Answer 7

Kill them! eye for an eye i feel that if you take a life in any other
means other than accident or self defense then you should be put to death period. a mistake is calling someone James when there name is tom not killing them instead of beating them up !

Answer 8

Yes, most definitely. "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime"!