Juveniles Tried as Adults



Juveniles Tried as Adults

There are concerns in the area of law concerning criminology about whether juveniles should be tried as adults or not. These questions continue to make ambiguity in the American legal system, as juvenile offenders are accused of committing violent crimes. There is a separate court and judicial system in which offenders who have not reached the age of maturity are adjudicated and sanctioned. This court is also responsible for their rehabilitation on the basis that there are substantial psychological differences between adolescents and adults, which differentiate them from each other and influence their acts. Adolescents require time in order to develop logical reasoning ability and this is related to their age. The age and state of mind of offender is brings legal relevance to the acts. The acceptance of this statement has contributed towards forming the juvenile justice policy in the United States which is prevalent since the past 100 years. This policy allows a boundary to be maintained between the criminal and juvenile court (United States Courts, 2012). Juveniles should not be tried as adults due to many reasons.

The term 'juvenile' refers to immature people who are still are still kids and have not developed the ability to think critically and reason with logic. This is the reason they deserve certain consideration when they have been accused of committing crimes, and flexibility should be exercised when processing their case. Emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that they should not be secluded from society as they are still in the phase to learn, and do not possess the capabilities that will allow them to lead life on their own. Besides that, the court needs to consider the fault for which the juvenile is being tried. If the issue is of a serious ...