The first point to consider is that they aren’t always morally responsible for their actions. “The recruiters of child soldiers tend to use drugs and alcohol to make children more compliant and to enable them to commit acts they would not ordinarily commit” (Debatewise). When under the influence of drugs and alcohol, people don’t do things they usually do, and for kids it’s even worse because they aren’t familiar to these substances. These can take control of one’s life, and can lead it to terrible things, which is why there is no way anyone can blame such children of doing such things. Additionally, children are commonly unaware and don’t always choose what they are doing. In the article, “Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators?” they explain
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(Invisible Children). This is something many people should keep in mind when posing the question: Should child soldiers be prosecuted, or pardoned for the crimes they commit? Not many will be familiar with the issue of child soldiers; children, under the age of 18, are recruited as soldiers either out of choice, or forced to. There is much of a conflict between the issue and it has many viewpoints. Despite that some people think they should be prosecuted, child soldiers should be given amnesty because it isn’t always their fault, they are commonly too young to be aware of their actions, and they should be given the option of a better life rather than being immediately chastened over something they don’t always …show more content…
First, it is often said that if they are not prosecuted, other commanders can use them to perpetrate atrocious crimes, having the knowledge that they will not be punished for it. It wouldn’t be rare to see someone threatening a child soldier to do something they don’t want to do, but what these people who think this don’t realize is that, of course, the commanders are using them, but many times, it is the commanders and others who are making them do these terrible things. If anyone is to be punished, it should be the people making the youth soldiers do so. Next, many say that a lot of times children chose to be apart of the military out of patriotism, meaning they signed up for the consequences that needed to be given in situations commiting crime. This of course is true, however the amount of people doing this out of their choice does not even closely equalize to the amount of children forced into doing this because of the need of money, punishment, or being forced to. Even if so, they usually aren’t well aware of the consequences that will be given if they commit a crime. Lastly, some think that if they can be punished otherwise in their everyday life for committing such acts of crime, there should be no exception to receiving the same punishment, just because it occurred during war-time. This is of course,
(Invisible Children). This is something many people should keep in mind when posing the question: Should child soldiers be prosecuted, or pardoned for the crimes they commit? Not many will be familiar with the issue of child soldiers; children, under the age of 18, are recruited as soldiers either out of choice, or forced to. There is much of a conflict between the issue and it has many viewpoints. Despite that some people think they should be prosecuted, child soldiers should be given amnesty because it isn’t always their fault, they are commonly too young to be aware of their actions, and they should be given the option of a better life rather than being immediately chastened over something they don’t always …show more content…
First, it is often said that if they are not prosecuted, other commanders can use them to perpetrate atrocious crimes, having the knowledge that they will not be punished for it. It wouldn’t be rare to see someone threatening a child soldier to do something they don’t want to do, but what these people who think this don’t realize is that, of course, the commanders are using them, but many times, it is the commanders and others who are making them do these terrible things. If anyone is to be punished, it should be the people making the youth soldiers do so. Next, many say that a lot of times children chose to be apart of the military out of patriotism, meaning they signed up for the consequences that needed to be given in situations commiting crime. This of course is true, however the amount of people doing this out of their choice does not even closely equalize to the amount of children forced into doing this because of the need of money, punishment, or being forced to. Even if so, they usually aren’t well aware of the consequences that will be given if they commit a crime. Lastly, some think that if they can be punished otherwise in their everyday life for committing such acts of crime, there should be no exception to receiving the same punishment, just because it occurred during war-time. This is of course,