Basenese 1
Kayla Basenese Mrs. Harrell English IV Honors 7 November 2014 Research Paper
Imagine the pain one goes through when a loved one o ne is seriously harmed; imagine if that person was you. Thousands of people feel this very pain across the nation every year, with the increasing number of violent juvenile crimes. About a hundred years ago, a separate justice system was created for those who are 18 years old and younger, known as the juvenile justice system. This system is indeed outdated, and needs a reform. Within the last 15 years, the nation has been dealing with a very complex moral issue: should children who co mmit violent crimes be treated as adults? Although they should be individually determined, juvenile offenders who commit violent crimes should be tried as adults. Many teens who have committed violent crimes have shown early signs of violence before the crime was committed. This violence can come from serious and traumatic events that may have happened in his/her life. Therefore, if one approaches a teen who shows these signs, it can be stopped before serious damage is done. Some of these signs include aggressive behavior, antisocial behavior, and behavioral problems at home, school, or the community (Dent and Jowitt 92). The rehabilitation part of the juvenile justice system c an be provided for the children who fall into this category who may have already committed minor crimes; it gives them an opportunity to turn their lives around. A history h istory of any family dysfunction can also lead to aggression in young people. In order to prevent juveniles from acting in this wa y, a detailed analysis should take place. “It is strongly emphasized that an understanding understanding of the background
Trusted by over 1 million members
Try Scribd FREE for 30 days to access over 125 million titles without ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime.
Trusted by over 1 million members
Try Scribd FREE for 30 days to access over 125 million titles without ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime.
Basenese 2
characteristics and life experiences of serious sexual offenders and other violent young offenders should critically inform all assessments and predictions of risk” (Dent and Jowitt 91). Today, more children than ever before are being tried as adults when they commit any type of crime. In 1996, more than half the cases sent to adult court were for drug or property offenses (Miller 1). In order to prevent this, the juvenile justice system should be adjusted so that only violent juvenile offenders acquire harsh pun ishments. There is only so much one can do to prevent an adolescent from becoming violent, rehabilitation centers are not always proven to work as effectively for violent children. However, rehabilitation for not-so-serious crimes like drug and property offenses, make it more likel y for the child to change his/her behavior. behavio r. Studies show that today 8 out of 10 registered voters believe that juveniles who co mmit violent crimes should be tried as adults (Miller 1). This shows that the American people have a growing fear that violent crimes can’t be handled b y the juvenile justice system. When the public is pu t in danger and lives are at risk, something needs to be done. Juveniles should be held accountable for their crimes, but the punishment given should match the crime committed, and steps can be taken before to prevent juveniles from entering the adult system. Dealing with juvenile offenders is all about smart sentencing, individualization is ke y. Each young offender should be looked at individually, and decided on when it’s appropriate to send a kid to an adult system. Violent juvenile crimes in the last 15 years have become more likely to happen, and accountability needs to be addressed. 14 year old Nathaniel Brazill shot and killed his 35 year old English teacher Barry Grunow, that’s an extreme act of violence and should be treated differently than a minor crime c rime like a drug offense. “…It “…It should be decided on
Trusted by over 1 million members
Try Scribd FREE for 30 days to access over 125 million titles without ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime.
Basenese 3
can turn him around and hold him accountable and punish him appropriately (Williams 2). Some changes to the system have taken place within the last 5 or 6 years, many states have been enacted more laws to strengthen the penalties for children who commit violent crimes. Even though these changes have taken place, there is still many juvenile offenders o ffenders who are not dealt with adequately. In conclusion, even though adolescents are able to change through rehabilitation, public safety needs to be protected and ensured so that the people of society so ciety feel safe and for those who commit violent crimes are dealt with appropriately. Violent juvenile offenders that commit serious crimes should be tried as adults.
