Juvenile Delinquency: Rehabilitation or Punishment
Juveniles and crime continues to be a growing concern throughout America. While juveniles are usually known to commit less serious crimes in their adolescents, some have been known to commit more violent crimes. Statistics show that adolescent “now are more likely to be perpetrators of serious and deadly crimes such as arson, aggravated assault, rape, and murder” (Collier 609). Juveniles who commit such offenses are in most cases tried in the juvenile court system. However, there have been cases of juveniles who commit extreme offenses and are subsequently tried as adults. Trying juveniles as adults has sparked controversy and has led to a divide. Some believe juveniles who commit violent crimes should …show more content…
However, one must also acknowledge that there are juveniles who commit violent crimes and know right from wrong. Adolescents who commit violent crimes such as murder and rape must be held responsible for their actions. Society cannot turn a blind eye to the violent offenses that are committed simply because of the age of the offender. A juvenile’s history, aggression, and crime must be taken into consideration before placing violent individuals amongst other juveniles who have committed less serious crimes. The future of the offender must also be taken into consideration. If a juvenile has shown to offend throughout their adolescents and is shown to be continuously violent, that individual will likely continue to re-offend throughout their adult years. Juveniles who have not committed crimes considered less serious should with no question be given a chance at rehabilitation. Violent offenders must be held accountable for their actions and must not be treated with a slap on the wrist. Society must show discipline and must show young offenders that if one breaks the law one must suffer the
Juveniles and crime continues to be a growing concern throughout America. While juveniles are usually known to commit less serious crimes in their adolescents, some have been known to commit more violent crimes. Statistics show that adolescent “now are more likely to be perpetrators of serious and deadly crimes such as arson, aggravated assault, rape, and murder” (Collier 609). Juveniles who commit such offenses are in most cases tried in the juvenile court system. However, there have been cases of juveniles who commit extreme offenses and are subsequently tried as adults. Trying juveniles as adults has sparked controversy and has led to a divide. Some believe juveniles who commit violent crimes should …show more content…
However, one must also acknowledge that there are juveniles who commit violent crimes and know right from wrong. Adolescents who commit violent crimes such as murder and rape must be held responsible for their actions. Society cannot turn a blind eye to the violent offenses that are committed simply because of the age of the offender. A juvenile’s history, aggression, and crime must be taken into consideration before placing violent individuals amongst other juveniles who have committed less serious crimes. The future of the offender must also be taken into consideration. If a juvenile has shown to offend throughout their adolescents and is shown to be continuously violent, that individual will likely continue to re-offend throughout their adult years. Juveniles who have not committed crimes considered less serious should with no question be given a chance at rehabilitation. Violent offenders must be held accountable for their actions and must not be treated with a slap on the wrist. Society must show discipline and must show young offenders that if one breaks the law one must suffer the