Should 13-17 year olds be tried as adults? What about the death penalty?

Question

I'm becoming more hard line as I age. In my city a 15 yr. old shot at a police officer and in the return fire he was shot 4 times. This child was found guilty 2 yrs. ago of holding a young man down while his girlfriend stabbed the guy to death. 2 yrs. later and he is out with a big pistol in an area known for drugs and prostitution. His girlfriend will be out in 5 years. Should he ever be allowed to walk the streets again? Would you want him in your city?

Answer 1

Adult crime, adult time. IMO. I am sick to death of what kids are getting away with.

I worked as a youth counselor and I cannot count the number of times I heard kids say "I'm going to be 17 next week I wont be able to steal anymore cars". Or "I cant go beat up on so-and-so because I'm 17 now and I could go to jail".

The little bastards are working the system and its time they paid for their crimes. If they kill someone and you have the death penalty by all means, kill them.

There is one little sh*t head in the city I live in who has been arrested and charged 59 times with stealing cars and violent assaults, and he is still out there looking for his next victim.

There have been four incidents of males in their 40's being swarmed by girl gangs and beaten to death, one man was thrown off the bridge - nothing is ever done to these "kids".

These kids are psychopaths, and they are going to reoffend and hurt people over and over.

Pedophiles let out of jail and not labelled sexual offender, they just destroy another kid, another family, some of them have over a dozen convictions and they are let out to do it again. I think they should get the death penalty because they have "murdered" these innocent childrens lives -

There are "kids" in Canada who have killed, not once, not twice, not three times, but FOUR times and all the get is a slap on the wrist. I wish we had the death penalty here.

They send these kids for "counseling" and they laugh at the system - they think its one big joke.

People say it doesnt stop murders, ta hell it doesnt. I know a guy who told his coworkers he was going to go home and kill his wife because his divorce was going to cost him $700,000.00 and he would rather do 3 years in jail and save the money.

He went home and killed her, served less than two years and was out dancing with his new wife at the company xmas party 21 months later.

No one can tell me IF he knew he was going to get the death penalty he would have STILL done it.

Everyone wants tougher laws, I dont know WHY the Politicans and Government are so reluctant to impliment them and put a stop to these little criminal, who will grow into bigger criminals and graduate into more violent crimes.

Wickwire if he murdered someone in Canada he is NOT in prison for life, he will be paroled within a few years and will kill someone else. There is no such thing as a life sentence in Canada really, the ONLY one I have ever heard of is Clifford Olsen, he is in for life because he was charged and tried concurrently for what? 15 murders? And got 5 years for each probably.

Answer 2

1. Don't lie to your mother. #2. You know little about the church or it's history. (burning witches wasn't just the Catholics, you can add Protestants. Most of the victims were tried and executed by local, community courts, not by the Church.) #3. You HAVE to ask questions! How are you going to know about why we believe the things we do if you don't learn? Instead of being on here late at night you should be Googling "old testament true or false" or Is Noah's Ark real" or "was there a worldwide flood"... #4. If you want to be a Deist, wait to practice it AFTER you leave home. #5. My hubby and I have 5 kids and this has been the hardest 2 years ever! Be thankful for the things your parents CAN do for you. It may not always be much, but I guarantee there are some great lessons you've gotten from it. You know the world doesn't revolve around you. You have to learn to share and get along. You have a sense of family instead of a sense of self. You have to think about things as a group instead f always the individual. You don't have long left, make the best of it:)

Answer 3

I have often felt that the law should redefine what a child is. Right now, anyone under the age of 18 is a "child." Yet a 6yo is clearly nothing like a 14yo in terms of mental ability and culpability. Say 0-12 is a child, 13-17 is a young adult and of course 18+ an adult. That would end all the wrangling and gnashing of teeth when a 15yo commits an adult felony about whether this "child" should be tried as an adult. He would be tried as a young adult.

Young adult laws would be similar to adult laws but take into account that the young adult is immature.

Answer 4

Wow, Southern Comfort that is a tough call. Recently we also had police shot by youthful offenders, not only did they kill him, burn his body and cruiser
they drove him to another county to do it. The reason? A routine traffic stop, turns out these kids were running a chop shop and had a bit of pot in the car. Personally, I hope that they fry, I have no sympathy at all. Two other police were killed this year because the answered a domestic violence call. The guy (perp) had a history of mental illness, killed those men then took his own life.

I am like you, I am becoming more intolerant as i age.

I guess they will get "religion" on death row and become "model" prisoners

Answer 5

I think in cases of that nature they should be. People say kids do not know what they are doing, if they are doing something like that, I do not think they should be out in public. Putting an age limit on things is just not really good in todays time. There are kids who are 9 years old going to college. Which in special cases they are out of the norman and that is how kids shooting cops should be treated.

True story, when my sister was a little over 3 but under 4 years of age she took the gun from thesecurity gaurd carring money. She just saw something and wanted it and yes today she is a gold digger. She did not shoot the guard or even do anything but try to run off with the gun. That is someone who did not understand what was going on and why she was being bad. On the other hand the kid shooting the cop knew what he was doing. After age seven now kids know what he or she is doing is right or wrong.

Answer 6

I have seen 11 yr olds who are already hardened criminals. I have seen so many kids that should be locked up forever. Kids that deliberately set animals on fire, kill their parents,rob banks and kill tellers for drug money,unfortunately our society looks down on death penalties in general let alone for a 13 yr old. I don't want rapists,gun toting teens,or druggies near me or my kids,but they are everywhere. What would you do with them? I say build a tent city and keep all the hardened criminals there,with no visitors,no TV, no free college education,no exercise rms,why should they get all that when my kids and I are in hock for college etc. Plus these people who complain about the severe conditions should be put in a 7x7 cell and not see daylight for a few wks then see if they still want to complain.

Answer 7

Most liberal minded people will tell you that he should be rehabilitated, but the simple fact is that if the apple that falls from the tree is rotten you are not likely to pick it up an eat it. I am very closed to individuals that are repeat offenders of violent crimes no matter what their age is. Many use their age as an excuse.
Should they be put in jail or put to death.... Hard question, but I feel; especially with repeat offenders, don't waste the tax payers money by putting them in jail. They have no regard for anyone else's life so in my opinion they should be put to death.
Society has grown too soft and because of that we as a nation have nearly become morally bankrupt. Forget the liberal love and forgive them line. It hasn't worked so far and it will never work with a hardened criminal.

Answer 8

I was going to say it depends on what the crime is. Something like this. Yes, they should be locked up for life. He may have been 15 but he shot at a police officer. The officer's life was in danger no matter what age the kid was.

Answer 9

No, I do not believe they should be tried as adults.
I do not support the death penalty. I feel that life sentence will give them an opportunity to review what they did and may give them redemption.

I am unable to answer your last question because I don't know the circumstances following the conviction.

Answer 10

I think that most teenagers sow their wildest oats before they turn 18 because until then, they aren't held responsible for their actions.

At that at 13 years old, a personality has already been established. Thirteen year olds aren't stupid... they know the law and what is morally right and they should be totally responsible for their actions.