Underage Sex&Murder?

Question

Am I the only one who thinks the justice system for minors is screwd up?

Why is it we have statutory rape laws because minors are not mature enough to have sex so we send the older person to jail, but if a minor was to kill someone they might wind up spending life in prison (trust me its happend). Why not give them a break and say they were still too young to realize the consequences of killing someone (does anyone know if that has ever been used as a defense)?

Am I mixing apples and oranges or do I have a valid point? Does anyone else think some of the laws for minors are utterly ridiculous?

What I am basically trying to say is that the laws are all most hypocritical. On one hand you say minors are not mature enough to have sex and then on the other hand you say they are mature enough to know right form wrong. So basically the justice system is saying minors are only mature enough to make some decisions.

Answer 1

statutory rape laws are often balanced a little so people close in age arent charges as severely as people much older.

There comes a point though were the law says "you are now entitled to be treated as an adult " in terms of freedoms so you must also take the responsibilities.

A person under 18 has to get a hearing in juvinile court before being charged as an adult. This normally occurs when there is evidence that the person knew what they were doing and acted deliberatly. (In short they acted like an adult, so they are treated like one)

Below a certain age it is assumed that the person is incapable of reason , of understanding the result of their actions and they cant be charged with a crime.

Answer 2

Uh, you don't see the difference between murder and sex? Minors are NOT mature enough to have sex. If you're a minor, you won't understand this for a few years - until you have kids. It feels good, that's all they care about and they forget (as do some adults) that you can get PREGNANT or contract a disease. However, even as a minor, what you do to yourself is one thing...

But what you do to OTHERS is a whole 'nother ballgame. You realize murder means finished, over, endgame, Elvis has left the building, right? Sure, a minor may still be too young to realize the consequences of killing someone, but that doesn't take away their culpability. Also, that works both ways...If someone is too young to realize the consequences of killing someone, then isn't s/he likely to murder again?

Rehabilitation is only possible after you understand the gravity of your behavior. And whose needs are more important: a murderous minor or the rest of society, who will remain in danger as long as the minor is free?

And the fact (and increasingly so, IMO) that minors past age 12 don't always realize the consequences of killing someone is enough for an entirely separate discussion. At a certain, very young, age, sure you won't know just how huge the act of murder really is. But I've heard of too many kids who don't know but SHOULD KNOW.

Growing up is a slow process, I understand. It's not like one day you think someone who's died will come back, and the next day you realize, "Oh, death is the end and murder is terrible." But to me moral development, perspective and sensitivity seem to be major steps, which should be some of the first steps in becoming a mature person.

Answer 3

DID U kill some 1 R u 1 of the minors in jail???

Answer 4

umm i am a minor i am about to be 16 and i do have sex only bc its one guy and i love him! i dont like hearing ppl say that minors cant r shouldnt have sex we are all humans and high school is oung adults not middle school pre teens! ok so shut up about minors haveing sex who r u god? dr. phil? a parent haha get over it if we wanna have sex we will not all minors act 7 years old get it rit

Answer 5

I think your wrong. Murder, unless of course its self defense, deserves no second chances.The dead person didn't get a chance, why should the murderer. I know everyone has different ideas about this subject but one fact remains, Old or young when you murder, someones dead, a family is destroyed, and someone has to be held accountable for it, no matter their age.