Up until the 20th century juveniles has been tried as adults for certain offenses, and even now there are certain instances where we see juveniles being held to the same standards as adults in the courtroom. But, should a juvenile really be put through the same process as adults and given the same punishments? Is it fair for a 15 year old boy who shot and killed the school bully to be faced if the same and punishment as a 37 year old adult man who shot and killed his wife and kids? Is it fair for a 17 year old to be faced with the death penalty? The debate as to whether a minor should face the same criminal penalties as adults has been a long going discussing. Even with development of juvenile courts and putting juveniles though a different
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On one hand you have status offenders. These the minors who become subject to state authority for committing actions that would not be considered illegal if committed be an adult. These are actions such as running away or violating curfew. On the other hand is Delinquency, which refers to a minor who has been found to have violated the penal code. According to law, they are to be kept separated from adult offenders, receive different treatment than adults, dealt with by some form of juvenile courts, and their charges are to be kept confidential and trial records kept secret. These are juveniles who commit serious and/or violate crimes. (Insert Citation, Book)
While youthful offenders should be responsible for their actions, and should be held accountable for the crime they committed, the juvenile justice system is designed precisely to determine the consequences for these juvenile offenders. As said by Maroney, "When we try them [juvenile offenders] in criminal court, we don't deem them adults for other purposes, such as voting and drinking. We know they're still minors - they are developmentally less mature and responsible and more impulsive, erratic and vulnerable to negative peer pressure" (Maroney, 2007). Therefore, juveniles should not be tried in courts as …show more content…
In a report released in 1998 by the Bureau of Justice Statistics titled Juvenile Felony Defendants in Criminal Courts, it is said that "an estimated 7,100 juvenile defendants were charged with felonies in adult criminal court in 1998", and that in these criminal courts, "juveniles were more likely than adults to be charged with a violent felony" with juveniles occupying 64% of the felony charges in stark contrast with the adults who occupy 24% of those charges (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). Later in the report, further studies showed that "transferring juveniles to adult court is not an effective deterrent of further criminal activity" (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). And so, juveniles would be better off tried in juvenile courts, and sentenced to
On one hand you have status offenders. These the minors who become subject to state authority for committing actions that would not be considered illegal if committed be an adult. These are actions such as running away or violating curfew. On the other hand is Delinquency, which refers to a minor who has been found to have violated the penal code. According to law, they are to be kept separated from adult offenders, receive different treatment than adults, dealt with by some form of juvenile courts, and their charges are to be kept confidential and trial records kept secret. These are juveniles who commit serious and/or violate crimes. (Insert Citation, Book)
While youthful offenders should be responsible for their actions, and should be held accountable for the crime they committed, the juvenile justice system is designed precisely to determine the consequences for these juvenile offenders. As said by Maroney, "When we try them [juvenile offenders] in criminal court, we don't deem them adults for other purposes, such as voting and drinking. We know they're still minors - they are developmentally less mature and responsible and more impulsive, erratic and vulnerable to negative peer pressure" (Maroney, 2007). Therefore, juveniles should not be tried in courts as …show more content…
In a report released in 1998 by the Bureau of Justice Statistics titled Juvenile Felony Defendants in Criminal Courts, it is said that "an estimated 7,100 juvenile defendants were charged with felonies in adult criminal court in 1998", and that in these criminal courts, "juveniles were more likely than adults to be charged with a violent felony" with juveniles occupying 64% of the felony charges in stark contrast with the adults who occupy 24% of those charges (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). Later in the report, further studies showed that "transferring juveniles to adult court is not an effective deterrent of further criminal activity" (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). And so, juveniles would be better off tried in juvenile courts, and sentenced to