Should Juvenile Offenders Be Charged As An Adult?
The percentage of juvenile offenders has consistently increased over the past few decades. There has been outcry that juvenile accused of felony should be tried in adult criminal courts. |
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People those who are in Support of abolishing juvenile courts and juvenile justice system argue that those juveniles’ who are found guilty of felony or first degree murder should be tried in adult criminal court.
Many states have passed laws making it easier to try certain juveniles as adults.
However, those who are against of trying juvenile offenders in adults criminal court argues that juveniles have not yet achieved full development of their brains and are thus less culpable for the crimes they commit. They asserts that it is immoral to subject children to adult punishments as it is ineffective and leaves psychological scars on juveniles which leads the juvenile to re-offend. Furthermore, community leaders and social workers advanced the notion that the juveniles’ offenders are weak and immature they need proper guidance, protection and socialization of adults.
Scientific studies have determined that the human brain undergoes continuous development up to the age of about eighteen. The brains of juveniles especially frontal lobes are not fully developed, juveniles lack the ability to perform critical adult functions such as planning, anticipate outcome of an event, taking critical decisions and controlling impulses. Although juveniles should be punished for their offences, they are not as matured and responsible as adults.
Most juvenile’s offenders are physically and sexually assaulted within the first seventy-two hours of jail custody. The results of such mental torture carried out during interrogation leaves deep scars on delicate minds of juveniles which could lead to suicide or other severe psychological problems. These effects make juvenile offenders prosecuted as adults more dangerous, not less.
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Should Juvenile Offenders Be Charged As An Adult
