Editorials

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Minors that Murder, Kids that Kill By Danielle Courts Should be able to Sentence Juveniles as Adults

You may have seen recent news stories and stories in newspapers about minors committing crimes such as murder. How do you try and sentence these minors? Should they be tried as adults and receive sentences as such? Or should they be tried as juveniles with a focus on rehabilitation?

 One argument against minors being tried as adults is that these minors can be rehabilitated. Another argument is that they didn’t know what they were doing when they committed the crimes. Yet another is that kids and teenagers don’t have the judgment and reasoning (like adults) to determine the seriousness of their actions.

I disagree. Any of these arguments could be argued further, but I believe it is only fair to punish minors for what they did. I also believe that most minors realized exactly what they were doing when they committed a crime. Minors need to be treated like the criminals they are. Is it reasonable to argue that a child knowing how to kill another, (knowing how to shoot a gun or use a knife to kill) doesn’t understand that they are ending a life? Does anyone think that these minors can be rehabilitated and released, almost as if they didn’t commit any crime, when they have ended another life? There are 200 to 300 cases a year of a child killing a parent (parricide). How many of these are committed by children or teens under 18? About half. It does not seem like a question of whether they understood what they were doing or not. These children and teenagers need to realize that committing these (in some cases, horrible) crimes will not be tolerated. They need to get the message, and what kind of message do we send if we let juveniles get away with murder? Not a good one.

In closing, it seems (to me) that anyone capable of killing someone else should begin to be treated like the criminal they surely are, especially teenagers who are committing murders that are almost definitely premeditated. While I think that whether they are tried as an adult or not should depend upon the severity of the crime they committed, and I don’t believe that the death penalty should be given to these kids, I do think they should be held responsible for what they did and receive a sentence accordingly.

__Criminal Children __ Courts should be able to sentence juveniles as adults By Belle ‘’Kids today are more sophisticated at a younger age; they understand the implications of violence and how to use violent weapons. It is absurd to argue that a modern child, who sees the effects of violence around him in news every day, doesn’t understand what killing really is” This statement is obviously true, today younger and younger children are being introduced to violence. Video games, toys and miscommunication between parent and child have sent a spiraling downturn of juvenile committed crimes. Depending on the age of the juvenile, and the severity of the crime they should be tried as adults; juveniles understand the crime just like any adult. However, they are not charged as such since people are worried these children will be harmed or scarred for life by being in prison. Obviously, they had to be mentally unsettled before, to commit the crime. For these children to even feel the desire to harm or upset someone else’s life is upsetting in itself. I think a major factor to point out is how the family dynamics affects the kid(s). Every person, every kid, needs to have a __positive__ role model. Also, if the parent, guardian, or another sibling took part in the crime, I’m sure the child thought it was okay. That leads to the thinking, “If my family does it, I want to do it too” what a terrible example to be setting. Communication is key when it comes to these situations. Keep up with your kids-know who they hang out with. Check their grades regularly. Know what your child’s life is like. Today, kids can be at home but have a totally separate life from their parents. Thanks to Facebook, the internet, and mobile devices, juveniles are able to have a totally separate life without leaving home. There is a new generation of children today. We are growing up with the luxury of technology. We are much more sophisticated mentally; we understand more mature things at a younger age then in past generations. Drugs, violence, and sex are all being introduced and experimented at younger ages; with that, comes more responsibility. Without guidance, juveniles may end up in jail. No big deal- they can handle this, right?

Reaves, Jessica. "Should the Law Treat Kids and Adults Differently?." Time.com. Time, 17 May 2001. Web. 27 Oct 2011. <[]

**Murderous Minors** **by Tatin**
 * Do you think we should punish juveniles that commit murders, or should we assign them two weeks of community service? Is it alright to let them free to do it again, or give them two years of a juvenile detention center? I believe we should punish them, because they are the ones who made the poor choices. Research indicates that children as young as age 9 can reason similarly to an adult aged 18 or 21, (Cherl Myers, and Angela Whipple, “When Should Adolescent Offenders Be Tried as Adults?”)**


 * A 16 year old beat a man over the head twice with a glass bottle. He claimed it was self-defense, but prosecutors charged him with attempted murder, so he was tried as an adult under state law. He was placed in a Baltimore jail, but was put in a separate wing for juveniles. He waited more than a year for his trail where he was sentenced to 5 years, (Tricia Bishop, Baltimore Sun, Oct. 4, 2010).**


 * A 12 year old was charged with killing his 17 month old cousin. Michael Hernandez was arrested in 2004, one day after his 14th birthday. He charged with killing his best-friend. Hernandez will be tried as an adult under state law, (Carol Miller, Kids Killing Kids Test Justice System, and Jan 20, 2008).**


 * A 16 year old was arrested for killing a ST. Petersburg Police officer. He’s being held without bail. At least while he is in there he can’t do harm to any other harmless citizens, (Tamera Lush, Associated Press, Feb. 23, 2011).**


 * Time and time again children who are involved in crimes grow up to commit adult crimes. This is why I believe they should be trialed as adults. Juvenile criminals attract other teens and lead them astray. To protect us all these young criminals should be punished to the fullest extent.**

Samantha Hanson
=Guilty but still a child= ====I believe that most juveniles should by placed in Juvenal centers for the crimes they committed. So they may be rehabilitated with other troubled children in there age group. Instead of being locked up a with adult offenders. I also believe each case is a bundle of there own troubles and advantages. If a child above let's say, 13 kills someone. They know what's wrong and what's right. Yes they deserve to be held in a prison, but I hope most can find there path and receive the help they need from the justice system. Because isn't that what they are their for, to guide the troubled along? Not to leave the young to rot in a cell, and relive that moment that caused there live to be the way it is now. No. So I leave you all with this, I believe that if you kill someone justice must be served. But in some cases look at the surrounding contributing factors, and make your mature choice before locking away a child. Your the adult, lead the way.====