YoungpeopleaccusedofcommittingviolentcrimesshouldNOTbetriedasadults.

PRO

WillYingling:

PrimaryPrison:TooViolentGaryScott,theauthor,statesthatprisonisfartooviolentforyoung
offenders.Assomeonewhowaslockedupandtriedasanadultattheageof17,heisavery
viableandtrustworthysource.HesaysthatmostyoungoffendersaresentencedtoLIFEin
LEVEL4MAXIMUMSECURITYprisons,knownwidelyforbeingsomeofthemostviolent
prisons.

SecondaryKidsarenotAdultsRecentresearchhasproventhatkidsarenotfullydeveloped.In
fact,mentallytheydonotstopgrowinguntiltheageof21.Thisresearchhaspushedsome
statestoreestablishboundariesbetweenthecriminalandjuvenilejusticesystems.

SecondaryAdultCourtThedefinitionofadultisfullygrownordeveloped,someoneofmajority
withrightstovote,andotherrightsintendedbystateandcountry.Thetryingofjuvenilesas
adultsisfueledbyourhatredfortheperpetrator,ratherthanclearrationalthinking.Thisclouding
ofrationalityandprinciplesmarksquitetheperversionofourjusticesystem,andadangerous
signforourlegalsystem.

Primary

RollieRay:
PrimaryLink:
SecondaryLink:(Juvenilestudyontrialscomparedtoadults)Studyhasbeenmadeandbothare
similarbetweenSimonSinger/DavidMcDowellandEricJensen/LindaMetsgerhavesaidthat
theeffectthatadultcriminalsanctionsmeaningthattheyhadnoeffecttowardsjuvenilecrimes.
Similarstudiesstatethatthe12ageagedifferenceforadultcrimesandjuvenilecrimesthat
arejustifiedasthesamecrimeshavebeenreducedbecausesimplyoftheage.Meaningthat
juvenilesgetoffeasierthanadultssotheycangetbetterhelpfromspecialistswhocanhelp
thesejuvenilestocorrecttheirmistakestheyhavemade.Iagreewiththisbecausecrimes
committedatyouthshouldbeforgivenbytheageandmaturityofthatpersonsotheycan
recuperatefromtheirdamagesthattheyhavecausedordone.

Secondary link:(JuvenileJustice:TooYoung
forLifeinPrison?
CameronWilliamsisayoungjuvenilekid(age16)serving110federalyearsinprisonforcrimes
suchasattemptedmurder,robbery,anduseofaguntocommitamajorfelony.Thestoryabout
thiskidistragicbecause,althoughhewasaviolentanddangerouspersonyoucannotsimply
giveakidlifetimeinprisonforyoungfederalcrimesforsomethingthatyoucangivehimrehab
for.

KumaniOwens:
KentwoodChildStabbing:
JamarionLawhornisa12yearoldboywhostabbedaanotherchild(9yearsold)todeath
atthelocalmobilehomeparkinKentwood,Michigan.
Heiscurrentlyontrialandthecourtisdecidingwhethertogivehimanadultsentence.
Duetothelawsifheisconvicted.
Hewillbeheldinjuvenileuntilhe's21andtheywilldecidefromtherewhetherhewillbe
releasedorsenttoanadultprison.
Eventhoughhecommittedaseriouscrimesuchasmurder,heshouldnotbecharged
asanadultheisonly12yearsoldand21isalongtimefromthere.Hehasalongtimeto
correcthisbehavior