Trying the Juveniles as Adults: Pros and Cons
Introduction
The way in which the juvenile justice system has been functioning is exceptionally flawed. According to a study by Tashea and Passarella (2014), one out of every 100 children between the ages of 10 and 17 is sent to prison in the United States. Yet, there is a stigma that surrounds this justice system. Young people can come into contact with law enforcement without any negative impact on their lives and prospects. Most of those convicted as adults do not receive life sentences, and those who do receive them do not get them on a mandatory basis. However, if they commit serious crimes at an earlier age, they could be tried as adults regardless of their current situation (Urbina and White, 2009).
In this case, criminals who commit severe offenses at a younger age would be sentenced to serve time for their crimes, provided there was enough evidence to prove them guilty (Urbina and White, 2009). This essay discusses the perspectives surrounding juveniles being tried as adults and the adverse outcomes.
The Consequences Being Different for Adults and Juveniles
The juvenile justice system is flawed in many ways, but one of the most glaring issues is that it does not consider that minors are different from adults. People do not know their needs because they cannot see their brains, but people know that they have different brains than others (Tashea & Passarella, 2014). For example, young people with autism may have trouble navigating the system and its repercussions, which can lead to unnecessary punishment or incarceration. In addition, young people trying to escape an abusive home situation may be unable to understand or articulate their needs or desires effectively enough to get what they want out of life. To fix this, one needs to create a special juvenile court where these issues can be addressed individually and where young people could receive support from professionals who understand them better than anyone else.
Moreover, according to the film Juvenile Justice System is Broken, adults raised in abusive homes sometimes turn to crime to cope with the trauma. It further shows how children who grow up in abusive homes end up in adult prisons (PBS NewsHour, 2021). The video then discusses how children who experience maltreatment develop mental health issues and substance abuse problems, which can lead them to more difficulties (PBS NewsHour, 2021). People who have experienced trauma and abuse are at higher risk of turning to crime because they do not know any better. It is also clear that when people commit crimes, they deserve punishment, not because they are wrong or evil. Instead, they commit crimes because they have been hurt and need time away from those who hurt them.
The Rehabilitation Potential
The problem with the juvenile justice system is that it offers no hope of rehabilitation. The criminal justice system has been shown to be ineffective in helping juveniles change their behavior, which also holds true for the juvenile justice system. The only thing juveniles can do to improve their lives is to be released from juvenile detention at age 18, which can take years (Tashea and Passarella, 2014). During this time, they will still be under the supervision and will have access to programs designed to help them find employment and housing.
However, several programs are available for adults who have committed similar crimes. Vocational classes allow people with criminal records to get job training and work experience in fields like construction or carpentry (Urbina and White, 2009). There are also residential treatment facilities where adults can receive counseling and other services while they learn how to live without alcohol or drugs. Finally, there are halfway houses where adults can stay while they look for permanent housing options or complete their sentences before being released back into society utterly free of any obligation toward their victim(s).
The Moral and Ethical Arguments
The video Juvenile Justice System is Broken is persuasive and has great information in it. The video’s primary focus is on the juvenile justice system, but it further discusses how adults are treated differently than juveniles when they are accused of a crime (PBS NewsHour, 2021). The video talks about how courts are more likely to give juveniles harsher punishments than adults, even if they are the same crime and have similar offenses. This argument means that adults who commit the same crimes as children can get much harsher punishments than children who do the same thing.
In addition, the video talks about how it is often difficult for people unfamiliar with the juvenile justice system to understand why this happens and what it means for society as a whole. However, there are some concrete reasons behind these disparities: one is that children are less likely to be able to pay their lawyers, which makes them more likely to get convicted. Another is that kids’ brains are not fully developed yet (PBS NewsHour, 2021). Thus, they are more likely to make bad decisions or take risks without thinking them through properly.
Overall, people need to change how they talk about children committing crimes. They should not make them out to be monsters, even if they are. They are still children and have been taught by society that they must behave in specific ways to succeed. It is important to remember that talking about crime as a monster is just another way of making people feel ashamed about crimes committed against them by someone else. There is a need for more support networks for children who have been through this process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are pros and cons for trying the juveniles as adults. There are scenarios where trying the young as adults would be beneficial, for instance, if the juvenile is found guilty of multiple crimes together. This argument is because too much harm is being done with the individual’s crimes, and by pleading, youth will not be considered, and the punishment will seem heavy-handed but fair. However, this is not the perfect solution to reform the criminal justice system. The best course of action is a hybrid of a juvenile and criminal system that focuses on rehabilitation and is founded on incentives to convince crime perpetrators that a life of crime is futile.
References
PBS NewsHour. (2021). The juvenile justice system is broken. Here is what actually works [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Tashea, J. R., & Passarella, A. (2014). Youth charged as adults: The use and outcomes of transfer in Baltimore City. Race, Religion, Gender & Class, 14, 273. Web.
Urbina, M. G., & White, W. S. (2009). Waiving juveniles to criminal court: Court officials express their thoughts. Social Justice, 36(1 (115), 122-139. Web.