Do you think that Juveniles should be tried as adults?

Question

any thought, ideas, just anything, facts, ANYTHING please. I am doing a debate and i want other peoples ideas.

Answer 1

There's a reason we make a distinction between juvenile and adult. Juveniles are not fully formed emotionally or intellectually to be treated as adults.

We may be appalled at the crime. But, if we don't take account of their emotional and intellectual immaturity, and treat them as adults, then the chances are very good they will return to society as hardened criminals.

Answer 2

It depends on the crime. If the crime is a misdemeanor, vandalism, stealing, something like that, then I think the parents should be held responsible with the child, and the child should be required to do something which brings home to him the consequences of the crime he committed.

Vandalism: restoration of the thing vandalized. If that is not possible, then how about picking up trash on the side of the road, or a river, for a couple of months every Saturday with his parents and the supervision of a parole officer.

If stealing, then fourfold restitution--if he can't pay it (no dipping into daddy's pockets), then working to pay it back--mowing lawns, raking leaves, whatever, either to make the money to pay it back, or to work for the person stolen from at minimum wage until the money is paid back under supervision of parent and person stolen from.

The more severe the crime the younger I think the juvenile should be held responsible for the crime as an adult. But I don't think our prison system is working well, and too often, kids just learn how to become better criminals. Incarceration should be used only for those crimes which make that person harmful to others--sexual crimes, murder, beating kids up as gang members, fighting with knives, kidnapping and that sort of thing.

I think 14 is a decent age to hold a child responsible for violent crimes. If he doesn't know by then the difference between right and wrong then his parents, his schools, and his society have screwed up to the point where he has little chance of reform.

Answer 3

I think some adults should be tried as juveniles and some juveniles should be tried as adults. For instance, if a 35-year-old person is punched by a 16-year-old and punches back, the 35-year-old should be tried as a juvenile as his reaction was a juvenile one though he is technically an adult. The juvenile, in this case, should be tried as an adult, as he initiated the fight, knowing very well the consequences of hitting someone for no reason.

Answer 4

A lot of this depends on the nature of the crime and the age of the offender. Many times juvenile detention centers work wonders on rehabiliting young offenders. If the child is 16 and over and commits a serious crime (murder, rape, etc), then more than likely they should be tried as adults.

Here are a few links that may help you:

http://www.juvenilejusticefyi.com/juvenile_justice_faqs.html

http://www.juvenilejusticefyi.com/juvenile_delinquency_prevention.html

http://www.juvenilejusticefyi.com/juvenile_justice_glossary.html

Answer 5

Your best bet is to get facts to use in a debate. Google juvenile crime statistics, juvenile detention, juvenile recidivism (relapsing into crime) and editorials written about trying children as adults. What you are looking for is evidence that detaining children in adult prisons is better (less recidivism) than sending them to juvenile detention facilities.

Answer 6

No, I don't. I think everyone should be tried by the crime they commit. As long as they are mentally there they knew what they were doing and should be tried as so.

Answer 7

yes commit the crime and do the time. I have heard kids say............I'm under 18 so they can't do anything to me. Stop this.

Answer 8

yes,
if they are old enough to commit a crime
they should be old enough to deal with the consequences

Answer 9

It all depends upon the circumstance.Such as murder.

Answer 10

yes they are adults