At what age should juveniles be tried as adults?

Question

in Death penalty cases?

Answer 1

Hey, I'm not stalking, I just saw the question and had to answer.
I agree with most people on the fact that, if they are old enough to understand what they did, then they are old enough to suffer the consequences. Therefor should pay according to the crime.
On the other hand, what good does it do to send a child to jail and put them among worst criminals. What do they learn about the crime they committed, NOTHING! If anything, they walk out of there worse then when they entered.
Why not institutionalize them, and offer the psychological help they need?
In any case, I do agree that criminals should pay for their crime, no matter how young!!

Answer 2

I think any time a juvenile makes the conscious decision to commit a crime like, drink alcohol, smoke, sexual assault, assault, attempt to kill or kill someone, destroy property or any crime that an adult would be held responsible to the letter of the law, that juvenile should be held accountable for their actions as an adult.

A crime is still a crime no matter the age. The severity of the crime requires the investigation into the motivation, mental status, and conscious mind of the perpetrator.....not maturity.

A death penalty case would be the result of someone taking a life with malice and forethought, not because it was an accident or the defendant didn't know what they were doing.

Note: There are countries that train and enlist children (10 to 17) to kill and be killed....these are babies emulating adults that kill or die trying. Sounds far from juvenile to me.

Answer 3

In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to execute a person for a crime committed at less than 18 years of age. Here is an excerpt from the decision (case of Roper v. Simmons)
"When a juvenile offender commits a heinous crime, the State can exact forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties, but the State cannot extinguish his life and his potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity."

Answer 4

It depends on the case and the evidence. There is no specific age it depends from state to state, and even country to country. However in the United States there is no specific age at which it deemed acceptable to try a juvenile as an adult as it depends on state to state. But to put it in perspective "Seventeen states consider children between ages fourteen and seventeen to be eligible for the death penalty" Put it in perspective here's what the UN has to say about the matter. "Though the United States is the most outspoken country in human rights issues, it remains the only nation in the world that has not yet ratified the United Nations Convention Article 37a, which states that “Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without the possibility of release shall be imposed for offenses committed by persons below eighteen years of age.”[iv] Seventy-two males who were under eighteen years old at the time of the crime are now serving death sentences in the United States.[v]"

Answer 5

I think 7 is a good number for death penalty cases. If they can form a coherent thought then they can be tried for murder. Sounds harsh but certain crime carry the death penalty for a reason. Usually it means that the person in question is responsible for the death or suffering of at least one other person.

Answer 6

simply by fact if tried as juveniles and convicted, they could be launched no later than their twenty 6th birthday. 9 to 12 years sounds like too small a value for taking a existence.

Answer 7

I don't think that AGE should be the mitigating factor. After proper evaluation each suspect should be evaluated as to whether they are able to know right from wrong and understand the concept of "consequences".

I know 20 year olds that wouldn't qualify and know a 9 year old that would. Age is not the most important factor.

Answer 8

At the age of which the murder occurred; I also don't believe that anyone should be put on death row, they should be executed at sunrise the day after conviction. Not several years later they have proved they are worthless and nothing more than a drain on society.

Answer 9

Some kids are in their early teens have been tried for murder as adults. It all depends on the crime, and the demenor of the perpetrators, which will ultimately decide this.

Answer 10

I disagree with the death penalty completely. Aside from that bias, in no way younger that 18. You don't know nor never will know what brought this kid to do whatever they did. They have an entire life to live, and it shouldn't be ended because they did some very stupid stuff.