Should Juveniles be Tried as Adults Essay
Overview
Although a separate juvenile justice system was established over 100 years ago, many youths are still charged and tried in the adult criminal justice system. In the wake of the racist and baseless myth that there was a new generation of super-predators, the number of juveniles facing adult prosecution grew significantly in the 1990s. Although crime has decreased steadily since then, these laws still subject youth to criminal convictions and sentencing.
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 1
The argument behind the transfer of juveniles to adult courts has been, since the creation of the first juvenile court. However, the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult courts should only be done in very limited circumstances. The judges who preside over juvenile courts should exercise their discretion during hearings in order to allow the youth to keep their rights to rehabilitation. This is because, in most cases, sending juveniles to adult court is not the only solution for juvenile crimes…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 2
Both violent crime and juvenile crime rates have declined steadily over the last 20 years. However, reforms to bring the juvenile court system back to its original vision of justice have not been as quick. U.S. Dep’t of Justice. Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention. Trying Juveniles As Adults: An Analysis of State Transfer Laws. (Juvenile Offenders & Victims. Nat’l Bulletin, September 2011). It is important to assess the effectiveness of juvenile courts when a juvenile is accused as an adult in criminal justice…ORDER
Juveniles should be Treated as Adults Essay 3
Studies show that many juveniles who are rehabilitated, but end up in adult jails, end up being hardcore criminals after their release. However, it is not acceptable that juveniles be exempted completely from the adult criminal justice systems. It is important that the upper courts have the ability to decide whether juveniles convicted of a crime should be tried and tried as adults…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 4
Each state decides when an adolescent becomes an “adult” for criminal justice reasons. If a “juvenile”, as defined by statute, is accused of committing a crime, they will be automatically charged under the adult criminal justice system. Juvenile Justice Geography, Policy Practice & Statistics data from 2015 shows that the vast majority of jurisdictions (41 US states and the District of Columbia), define 17 as the maximum age at which a juvenile case can be filed. Juvenile Justice, Policy, Practice, Statistics, ” Jurisdictional Borders.” Seven states consider age 16 to be the highest age for juvenile court jurisdiction (Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin)…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 5
There are a number of cases that can be brought before either an adult or juvenile court under prosecutorial discretion. The prosecutor has the power to decide which court will bring the criminal charges. Although some states have established standards, there are not always any standards that the prosecutor must adhere to when exercising his or her discretion. “Jurisdictional Boundaries,” above; Juveniles tried as adults, over. There have been an increase in the number of prosecutorial discretion laws…ORDER
Juveniles should be Treated as Adults Essay 6
The criminal justice system requires that juveniles be tried as adults. This means that they are subject to the due process and not a blanket amnesty which borders on paternalistic treatment for juvenile delinquency. (Bergman Paul, Berman 135) Policies aimed at reforming juvenile offenders are not the only solution to juvenile crime. Over the years, juvenile offenders have been able to do more damage after they have completed their probation. Research has also shown that juvenile repeat offenders are more likely to commit serious offenses due to the leniency of juvenile courts and paternalistic treatment…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 7
Increased juvenile criminal prosecutions in adult courts was designed to deter rising youth violent crime. It is therefore important to assess what happens to juveniles who are prosecuted in adult court to see if they are deterred from future crimes. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Law’s Juvenile Justice Project conducted a comprehensive literature review in July 2010. It examined the effects of juvenile cases being prosecuted in adult courts. The report The Effect of Prosecuting Young People in the Criminal Justice System: An Examination of the Literature concluded that juveniles in adult court have had little or no deterrent effect and that recidivism rates in many states have increased…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 8
Increased juvenile criminal prosecutions in adult courts was designed to deter rising youth violent crime. It is therefore important to assess what happens to juveniles who are prosecuted in adult court to see if they are deterred from future crimes. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Law’s Juvenile Justice Project conducted a comprehensive literature review in July 2010. It examined the effects of juvenile cases being prosecuted in adult courts. The report The Effect of Prosecuting Young People in the Criminal Justice System: An Examination of the Literature concluded that juveniles in adult court have had little or no deterrent effect and that recidivism rates in many states have increased…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 9
The juvenile court was established more than 100 years ago. Its basic assumption is that juvenile offenders should not be tried in adult criminal courts. The juvenile court was established to deal with juvenile offenders based on their youth, not their crimes. Juvenile court’s purpose is guidance and treatment, not punishment. The public demanded that juveniles be treated and tried as adults in the 1980s-90s. Many states have passed laws that make it easier for certain juvenile offenders to be tried as adults. Some states even considered abolishing juvenile courts…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 10
Some have suggested that the debate about whether to abolish the juvenile court distracts from the main question facing the juvenile justice system: How can juvenile crime be reduced if neither the adult criminal courts nor the juvenile courts address the environmental factors that contribute to juvenile violence? Many juvenile crimes start in childhood learning experiences within the family. These include poor family bonds and ineffective supervision, child neglect and abuse, inconsistent and harsh discipline, and weak family bonding. There are also indications that youths in very poor urban areas are more likely to become involved in violence. There are also special opportunities in some neighborhoods to learn or participate in violence…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 11
Gangs and illegal drug markets provide youth with exposure to violence and negative role models. They also offer potential rewards for young involvement in criminal activity. School play an important role in the generation of juvenile violence. Participation in a peer group that is delinquent is a major factor in the development of violent behavior. Juvenile violence can also be caused by alcohol and guns. Growing up in poverty or unemployment can have a significant impact on the likelihood of a young person turning to violence as they transition into adulthood…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 12
This common refrain simplifies complex realities to simple rhetoric. It is also incorrect. The juvenile justice system exists to hold young people accountable for serious crimes. It is not a good idea to funnel more youth into the adult justice system. Juveniles don’t have to be considered adults. We don’t mean it. When they are tried in criminal court, they don’t consider them adults for any other purpose, such as voting or drinking. We know that they are still minors. They are less mature and responsible as a result, and they are more impulsive and erratic than adults. This makes them vulnerable to peer pressure…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 13
It is understandable that we want to increase the consequences. Juvenile crime victims don’t suffer any less and cases that are close to the 18th birthday (e.g., a crime committed on the day before the 18th) can make age distinctions seem arbitrarily drawn. We have historically installed a small safety valve, which allows transfer to be made for the very few offenders who are close to the age limit and commit especially terrible crimes. Problem is, the valve has lost its spring and expanded. People act now as though the decision to refer to a juvenile as a minor implies that they think the crime is not as serious and that the victims are not worthy of respect…ORDER
Should Juveniles be tried as Adults Essay 14
The United States is the only country where children are sentenced to death in prison for crimes they have committed. Even though the behavior is often considered violent and makes the person a danger to the public, there are no escapes from the system for juveniles who have been tried as adults and sentenced to life imprisonment. Cyntoia Brown, a young girl who killed a man at 16 years old, is just one of the many stories. After spending 15 years in prison, she was granted clemency in 2019. She maintained her innocence and claimed that she acted in self-defense after the man who killed her had bought her sex…ORDER
Juveniles should be as Adults Essay 15
The juvenile is more likely to commit a crime faster and to a greater degree. Because it may not be their fault, juveniles should not be tried as adult criminals. The environment and the people who raised them are huge determinants in their development. A child may become a criminal if they are not disciplined enough. Parents who are too permissive to their children can cause them to be reckless and to not know the “limits of acceptable behavior” in society…ORDER