Juvenile Crimes Face Harsh Punishments - 899 Words

There are serious flaws with the way the US judicial system prosecutes juveniles. Although there is a juvenile court system in place to try youth offenders, the way it is being implemented is different between each state. In addition, some states even go further and try youth offenders, depending on the crime they committed, in an adult criminal court. In recent years, juvenile crimes face harsh punishments in the US, and the number of juvenile offenders sent to youth courts is decreasing, based on the data (â€Å"The Sentencing Project – Juvenile Justice,† 2015). This decline of cases being sent to the juvenile courts indicates that more cases of youth crime are being transferred to adult courts. Trying a child as an adult contradicts to UN’s rights of the child as listed on FACT SHEET: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (p.1 – 4), which shows that by transferring a child to an adult correction facility, we are denying that child of his/her rights. A child has a limited understanding of how the world functions. It is difficult for a child to distinguish right from wrong. Therefore, it would be common sense to try a child, under the age of 18, differently than an adult, with some exceptions being made to frequent offenders and very serious crimes. But that is not the way it is being implemented in the US. There are three ways a youth offender can be transferred from a juvenile court to an adult court in the US. Brink (2004) lists theShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Courts Essay891 Words   |  4 PagesSerious crimes such as murder, burglary and rape have raised questions as to whether the young offenders should face severe punitive treatment or the normal punitive measures in juvenile courts. Many would prefer the juveniles given harsh punishment in order to discourage other young people from engaging in similar activities and to serve as a lesson to these particular offenders. However, results from previous studies indicate such punitive measures were neither successful nor morally acceptableRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cycle Of Juvenile Justice1342 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: CYCLE JUVENILE JUSTICE​ ​1 Analysis of the Cycle of Juvenile Justice Theory Name School ​​ Professor Class Date Analysis of the Cycle of Juvenile Justice Theory ​In the text, Thomas Bernard examines the cyclical nature of the juvenile justice system (Weisheit Culbertson, 2000, p. 13-31). The author posits that the implementation of juvenile justice is constantly swinging from one extreme to the other based, largely, on the public’s perceptionRead MoreJuveniles Should Be Legal For Adult Courts1528 Words   |  7 Pagesor not juveniles should receive waivers to adult court. There are three methods that are used to transfer a juvenile to adult court. Juvenile waiver, statutory exclusion, and Concurrent Jurisdiction are the three different methods used to transfer a juvenile to adult court. Statutory exclusion is when the juvenile is transferred immediately to the adult court. Concurrent Jurisdiction is when the juvenile may be tried as an adult and a juvenile at once. Throughout all three methods juvenile waiverRead MoreJuvenile Crime : The Criminal Justice System1031 Words   |  5 PagesIn the 1990s, violent juvenile crime r ates had reached record high levels throughout the United States. During these years, many Americans considered the criminal justice system too easy on violent juvenile offenders and demanded reform. Many states, including Florida began to focus efforts on juvenile crime. â€Å"Florida’s criminal sentencing laws and punishment policies from 1980 to 2000 reflected an ongoing, focused effort to deter serious crimes† (Taylor). Crimes were given stricter sentencing guidelinesRead MoreJuvenile Crime And The Criminal Law Under The Age Of Eighteen1540 Words   |  7 Pages Juvenile crime occurs when a teen or a child violates the criminal law under the age of eighteen (in most states it’s 12-18). The juvenile system is way different than the adult system. When a juvenile commits a crime there are legal consequences for their actions depending on what he/she did. Sometimes the system can put them in rehabilitation or a detention center. If the offense is minor, t he child could be released to the custody of a parent or legal guardian. In the United States if theRead MoreFrom The Very Beginning, Children Are Taught The Difference1644 Words   |  7 Pageschildren are taught the difference between right and wrong. So, if you can do the crime you can do the time, is what some people will answer when asked if they think teenagers should be given the same punishment as adults when committing the same crime. People are arguing whether teenage repeat offenders should suffer the same consequences as grown-ups, and if or if not what are the consequences for these children. Juveniles should not go through the same legal penalties as adults after they have becomeRead MoreJuvenile vs Adult Justice System Essay989 Words   |  4 PagesAdult Justice v Juvenile Justice System There is no question that if a person is involved in any type of crime they will at some time make their way through the justice system. However, when that person is an adolescent they will go through the juvenile justice system, as an adult would go through the adult justice system. Even though the crimes of each can be of the same manner or hold the same severity the punishment results can differ. The main reason for having the two different justiceRead MoreJuvenile Justice Is Too Lenient With Kids910 Words   |  4 Pagesrules; and then threw a party with her body locked in a bathroom. What should his punishment be? some would say well he’s just a kid whose brain is not fully developed and so forth. However, I believe if you have enough malice and intent kill your own mother and then throw a party; you deserve some hardcore jail time. Juvenile justice has failed our delinquent children by being too lenient in punishments towards crimes that, if committed by and adult would garner a life sentence or death. While manyRead MoreThe Canadian Juvenile Justice System Essay1171 Words   |  5 PagesYouth and juvenile crime is a common and serious issue in current society, and people, especially parents and educators, are pretty worried about the trend of this problem. According to Bala and Roberts, around 17% of criminals were youths, compared to 8% of Canadian population ranging between 12 to 18 years of age between 2003 and 2004 (2006, p37). As a big federal country, Canada has taken a series of actions since 1908. So far, there are three justice acts in the history of Canadian juvenile justiceRead MoreThe Effects Of Exposure On Early Child Behavior1732 Words   |  7 Pagesbehavior. The study conducted on the impact of exposure to community violence on early child behavior problems confirm the idea that children even raised in harsh or poor environments, is not a valid reason as to why these children are committing these violent crimes. In the study it was found that the link between community violence and problematic behavior during the early years of child development is still an unknown problem to confirm a direct linkage to a child’s behavior (Linares 639). I