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For Their Own Good and The Protection of Others

At 14 years of age juveniles look so innocent, but as soon we turn our backs something
we dont see is that they know how to load and shoot a gun. Punishment is not for revenge, but
to lessen crime and reform the criminal (Fry). A juvenile is someone who is still young, should
be under someones watch, a teenager between ages 14-17 possibly 18. In the United States
2,200 people are serving life without parole for crimes they committed before turning 18, more
than 350 of them were 15 or younger (Liptak). Even though some people believe prison is too
dangerous, juveniles ages 14-17 who commit crime should be punished the same as adults
because punishing juveniles will make them think of their future, it will protect the people
around them, and it will lower the rate of juvenile crime.
Juveniles ages 14-17 should be punished the same as adults because it would help them
think about their future and what would be best for them. Light sentences do not teach juveniles
the lesson they need to learn. Harsh punishment would deter young juveniles from committing
the same crime. Adult punishment should be available for juvenile criminals (Stimson).
Harsher punishment would make juvenile think about the consequences and what awaits them if
they act up. Punishing juveniles heavily would make juveniles stop going back to prison, they
would want to stay out of there. The government should also have a role in helping juveniles
looking for a better future.
Government agencies worldwide are getting a hold of juveniles helping them from
staying out of prison. A nations youth is one of its greatest assets for the future (The Why and
How of Juvenile Delinquency). Many of the juveniles who commit crime are out living on the
streets; however government agencies are providing shelter for juveniles to keep the off the

streets. Government agencies are also providing programs that keep juveniles on track with
education because having a record of juvenile delinquency could affect their ability to get a job
or attend college later on in life. Juvenile courts exist to help the youth who have done wrong.
Punishing juveniles like adults would set juveniles for a better future, but they should also get the
chance to go out and see the world.
Allowing juveniles to go out to see the world and interact with others under someones
watch will help them find something they are interested in that could benefit them in the future.
Juveniles are more vulnerable or susceptible to negative influences and outside pressure
including peer pressure (Ritter). Juveniles should get out to meet real business owners trying
out different jobs instead of dealing drugs. Lack of moral and social training can cause a juvenile
to feel inferior and lead to a life of crime. Seeing the outside world, going out to places would
draw away the awful or disturbing thoughts. Punishing juveniles like adults would cause them to
think about the consequences before doing something that wont lead to nothing good for them
and their future. Not only does punishing juveniles like adults help them set for a better future
but its also protection for other people that surrounds them.
Many juvenile delinquents are on the loose just waiting on who to hurt next. We need to
protect the people keeping the juveniles away in a prison serving their time. Criminals are getting
younger and younger. The Justice Department estimates that 10 percent of all homicides are
committed by juveniles under the age of 18 (Khan). We can not have juvenile criminals running
around the streets hurting innocent people, robbing them for their cars, purses, stores, killing
people taking away someone from someone else who meant the world to them. Society must be
protected (Chan). Protecting the people of our nation is a priority, having juvenile criminals
under personal care or therapy could be part of their punishment but also help them with school

services and mental health issues. By a certain age juveniles start to change feeling more
aggressive and emotional.
At the of 16 and 17 juveniles begin to feel more careless, aggressive, emotional, capable
of taking risks, respond to stress in a way that could hurt someone or hurt themselves and
defenseless to peer pressure. When confronted with stressful or emotional decisions, they are
more likely to act impulsively, on instinct, without fully understanding or analyzing the
consequences of their actions (Ritter). These feelings juveniles get, for example aggression
could cause them to snap and end up making a decision that they would regret their entire life. A
decision that could change their lives and the lives of others. Juveniles, today are more
sophisticated at a younger age and understand implication of violence. Juvenile criminals who
know how to load and shoot a gun is a indicator that they understand exactly what they are
doing. Not only can they hurt others but they could also hurt themselves. Juveniles could get to a
point where they can commit suicide because of depression or regretting something they did. The
emotions of these juveniles is what causes them to be arrested and thrown into prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested more than 33,000 young juveniles under
the age of 18 for offenses. 42 states and the Federal Government allow offenders under 18 to be
put away forever (Liptak). Its not the police arresting these juveniles, its the FBI. Juveniles
that get arrested or brought in by the FBI must have committed a really heavy offense. Putting
away juvenile criminals for some time or even for life, is a big change to society because there is
no risk of people getting hurt. We must protect the people from these juvenile criminals, keeping
the people safe because we dont know what they are capable of doing. Juveniles must be
punished like adults because looking at the rate of juvenile crime it is not looking good,
punishing these juveniles would lower the rate of juvenile crime.

Punishing juveniles like adults will keep them out of trouble, from coming in and out of
any juvenile detention, jail, or even prison, and would also decrease the rate of juvenile crime.
Punishing juveniles as adults has showed a lower rate of juvenile offenses. The Pathways of
Desistance study followed 1,354 adolescents found guilty of a serious offense, usually a felony
(Macmillan). Having a high rate of juvenile crime activity does not look good in the justice
system. It makes them look like they dont have control over the youth. Even though many
juveniles who commit crime come from broken homes or families that have relational problems.
Juvenile crime committed by ages 15-17 has dropped by 5 percent. Juveniles who were put into
prison before have shown that they matured.
Juveniles who were able to stay out of the criminal justice system showed a significant
increased growth in overall maturity and belief in the legitimacy of the law. According to
Macmillian they grew up. Juveniles will start soon to see and realize that committing crime will
get them nowhere in life but back in prison. They are only hurting themselves and possibly their
families. Being able to stay out of prison can make it easier to find a job, to actually be someone
in life, be wealthy and healthy, and staying in school. Just imagine only being able to see your
family on certain days when they come to visit you and talking to them through a phone with a
plastic window in between you all. Seeing your mother on the other side tears rolling down her
face, feeling sorry for her son or daughter on the other side for something they did that would
keep them in prison for life. Believe it not, juveniles who commit murder could get locked up for
life without parole.
The Human Right Estimated that 20 percent of juveniles were sentenced to life in prison
without parole for murder. Some states, however consider 16 and 17 years-olds for the death
penalty (Reaves). If just 20 percent are sentenced for murder, what would the number of other

felonies committed by juveniles look like? Punishing juveniles like adults would decrease the
percentage of murder and other felonies. Juveniles sentenced for life would lower the rate of
juvenile crime because they would not be out on the streets with the same actions as before.
Juveniles getting a chance to see what prison is like, how it feels to only have a meal 3 times a
day every day, to only shower twice a week with the maximum of only 5 minutes to shower and
having no privacy while showering. They would want to stay out of prison. In the graph to the
left, it shows the amount of juveniles arrested from 2006 through 2011, it also shows a decrease
of juvenile arrest. Some
people would argue that
juveniles should not be
punished like adults because
prison is too dangerous.
Many other sources however,
argue that juveniles ages 1417 should not be punished the
same as adults. Many people
would say that prison is to
dangerous for juveniles. A
level 4 maximum security
prison is extremely violent for
a juvenile to be incarcerated.
What this argument overlooks
is that this could be the

punishment that will stop juveniles from committing the same crimes over and over because
regardless they commit a crime they are going to end up in prison again.
Juveniles are not strong enough, physically to protect themselves. Juveniles fear of being
a victim which leads many of them to rely on gangs and weapons for survival. The juveniles can
not protect themselves so they join groups of people that they believe will help them. What this
argument fails to consider is that the gang will not always be around or the juvenile could be
transferred to another prison. Where would their gang be then? If they use weapons in prison
injuring another inmate it would cause them more time in prison thats why their are guards if in
need of help.
Once again, juveniles are not strong enough to protect themselves. The rate of suicide and
sexual abuse of younger prisoners is higher. Juveniles are more likely of being raped by someone
bigger than them, which could lead to juveniles on committing suicide. Showing the rates of
suicide and abuse of younger prisoners and how big these other guys are to juveniles before
committing a crime would make them think twice before doing something wrong.
Punishing juveniles like adults will give them a taste of what prison is like, keeping them
on the right track. They are the dangerous ones on the streets. Putting them behind bars will teach
them discipline. These juveniles know how to load a gun, but are they aware of the consequences
associated with it? They are old enough to know whats wrong from right. They commit the
crime, they pay the time. Juveniles should be responsible for their actions. It is said that the
youth is the hope of our future, but if they are running around committing crimes what hope is
their for our future?

Work Cited Page

Chan, Edward. "Silver Chips Online : Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?" Silver Chips
Online : Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?Silver Chips Online. Web. 19 Dec. 2002.
Gelernter, Carey Quan. "Search." Living. 25 Oct. 1994. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Khan, Huma. "Juvenile Justice: Too Young for Life in Prison?" ABC News. ABC News
Network, 12 July 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.
Liptak, Adam. "The New York Times." Jailed for Life After Crimes as Teenagers. 3 Oct.
2005. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Michon, Kathleen. "When Juveniles Are Tried in Adult Criminal Court | Nolo.com."
Nolo.com. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Reaves, Jessica. "Should the Law Treat Kids and Adults Differently?"Time. Time Inc., 17
May 2001. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
Ritter, Malcolm, and Associated Press. "Experts Link Teen Brains' Immaturity, Juvenile
Crime." ABC News. ABC News Network. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Scott, Garry. "EasyBib: The Free Automatic Bibliography Composer."EasyBib. 5 June
2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
Stimson, Charles D. "Adult Punishments for Juveniles." Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

"The Why and How of Juvenile Delinquency." NoBullying Bullying CyberBullying

Resources. 23 Dec. 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.