Dr. Lennie Irvin
April 29, 2012
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults?
There are many controversies that surround juveniles being rehabilitated rather than going through the adult justice system, but studies show that juveniles are not fully developed to be tried as an adult. One of the main questions that it always boils down to is “should juveniles be tried as adults?” in my opinion juveniles should not be tried as adults because of their age. First, I believe that juveniles should not be tried as adults because their mentalities are not fully developed. Children are often unable to consider the long term consequences of their actions, have difficulty taking the perspective of others, and typically have decreased levels of responsibility. (Maturity and criminal responsibility p.73) for example, when a teenager decides to skip school, they aren’t thinking about how it’s going to affect their grades, or what the punishment will be for getting caught. They are acting before they think. Another factor that comes in to play when trying juveniles is that they learn from the surroundings that they are in, which definitely can affect their mental being. For example, if we send a child to adult prison they will eventually adapt to being in that environment. Sometimes crime becomes the only life they know. (Upfront magazine, p.28) Third, juveniles are still going through developmental stages where as adults mentalities are already developed. There are rapid and dramatic changed in individuals’ physical, intellectual, emotional and social capabilities. (USA TODAY, 2001, p.34) Second, I believe that juveniles would benefit from being rehabilitated, because they are still developing and maturing. Rehabilitation is a better rout because it will help them learn from their mistakes. Trying children as an adult comes from a desire for revenge—not a desire to find suitable punishment. (Current events, 9/18/98, vol.98 issue.2) Although it is...