Juveniles Should Be Tried as Adults Essay -- Persuasive Argumentative

"Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time." -- David Grusin and Morgan Ames Much controversy exists on the question of whether a juvenile criminal should be punished to the same extent as an adult. Those who commit capitol crimes, including adolescents, should be penalized according to the law. Age should not be a factor in the case of serious crimes. Many people claim that the child did not know any better, or that he was brought up with the conception that this behavior is acceptable. Although there is some truth to these allegations, the reality of this social issue is far more complex. Therefore we ask the question, "Should childhood offenders of capitols crimes be treated as adults?" To begin with, numerous reasons for why a child acts in the manner he exhibits and why he continues to exert such dangerous and even fatal schemes. Recent research shows that factors ranging from inherited personality traits to chemical imbalances and damages suffered in the womb can increase the odds that a child will become violent (Johnson 234). Experts argue that no one is predestined to a life of crime. They believe that influences such as repeated abuse, extreme neglect, poverty, media violence, and easy access to guns play the major role in molding children into criminals. The father of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer wonders, "If potential for evil is in the blood that some of us pass on to our children" (Seifert 23). In the quiet New York town of Savona, Eric Smith, age thirteen, intercepted four year old Derrick Robie on his way to a park recreation program and offered to show him a shortcut. Hesitatingly, Derrick set off with Eric. He never made it to the park. That same day the little boy's savagely beaten body was discovered outside the park area (Seifert 98). Jon Venables and Robert Thompson of Liverpool, England, made international headlines in November of 1994, when they were convicted of murdering James Bulger, age two. The two boys, both ten at the time of the slaying, lured James away from his mother in a shopping mall, took him to a nearby railroad track, beat him brutally and left him to be cut in half by a train (Seifert 56). Many experts do not accept that biology alone creates children who kill. They believe that violence is a learned behavior. Being abused or witnessing domestic violence is an environmental factor in ju... ... The future of Crime in America. Garden City, NY: Anchor, 1987 Bidwell, Allie. "Report: School Crime and Violence Rise" U.S News & World Report, June 10, 2014 http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/06/10/incidents-of-school-crime-and-violence-on-the-rise-for-students-and-teachers Carmenati, Marlene â€Å"Youth and Crime: Is the young offenders working?† Law Now June/July 21-26. Eldelfonso, Edward. Law Enforcement and the youthful offenders: Juvenile Procedures. New York: Wiley 1967. Hyde, Margaret O. â€Å"Juvenile justice and Injustice† New York, New York Margaret O. Hyde, 1977. Johnson, Jason B. â€Å" Slain Teen’s family: Cops eyeing 7-10 suspects.† Boston Herald. 7 ,April 1995 Olney, Ross R. Up Against The Law. New York, New York: NAL Penguin Inc. 1985. Robinson, Lori S, and Jimmie Briggs â€Å"Kids and Violence† Emerge November. 1993:44+ Seifert, Kathryn. "How Children Become Violent" Acanthus Publishing; 1 edition 2006 Wilson, James and Herrnstein, Richard. "Crime & Human Nature: The Definitive Study of the Causes of Crime" New York: Free Press, 1998. John P. Wright, Kà ¤ren M. Hess, Christine H. Orthmann. "Juvenile Justice." Cengage Learning; 6 edition, 2012