An Argument in Favor of Should Juveniles Be Tried As Adults

In most cases, juveniles should be convicted as adults, however, one must take into consideration the juvenile’s background and criminal requisite intent before a final verdict.

I believe that juveniles should be tried and sentenced as adults when juveniles commit a murder and their reason for committing murder have nothing to do with self-defense. When someone is being tried for committing murder it is important to understand the intention of the one committing the crime. For example, Nathaniel Brazil had killed an innocent teacher.

His reasons for committing this heinous crime were irrational. Thompson says, “They found thorough studies that juveniles brains were underdeveloped and they couldn’t control violent passions and rash decisions (In Startling Finds on Teenage Brains). However, research couldn’t justify the decisions of vicious teen killers. Why? If you have to kill someone in self-defense, it’s different, you hurt them as if your life depended on it.

To be maliciously beating or stabbing someone to death just to get a rush, is morally wrong and unethical. For instance, Torey Adamcik, Lost For Life claimed that, “I am not at fault for this murder I was just a bystander, and I shouldn’t be in here for Brian Drapers’ actions.” Torey is just as at fault as Brian he was there, He saw the whole murder take place, didn’t turn around and make the right decision to leave. Tory is so naive and immature for thinking that he didn’t have a part in the murder. Torey was a mastermind. In the beginning he ruined innocent Cassie’s life and if that isn’t pure evil, I don’t know what is. As soon as you allow a person to feel uncomfortable and you manipulate someone else to help you carry out a morally wrong crime that makes you the king of the plan.

Juveniles should not be tried as adults when they’ve pleaded for help and protection from abuse. For instance, Jacob Ind was abused both mentally and physically throughout his life by both parents. Multiple times he cried out to the community and they wouldn’t believe him (Jacob Inde, When Kids Get Life). If the community would have listened to Jacob Inde’s feelings/concerns Jacob wouldn’t be in the system at all.

Ind would have lived a better life and the abuse could have stopped instead of burning a hole in his brain full of gruesome memories that triggered his outburst. Juveniles are vulnerable to peer pressure, but they do have the ability to turn their lives (Gail Garinger, Juveniles Don’t Deserve Life Sentences). We, as a whole community, don’t know what juveniles are capable of. Through throwing them into the adult system we jeopardize Juveniles from changing their lives around.

Juveniles are at a crucial period in life. They are still finding out who they are as individuals. Their bodies and state of mind, are changing drastically. According to (Marjie Lundstrom, Kids Are Kids-Until They Commit Crimes), juveniles have all these restrictions we tell them what they can and can’t do, and all of sudden we expect them in the blink of an eye to be accountable for their rash unethical activities. Juveniles need boundaries. That’s the problem. We can’t expect them to have a clean conscience. For this epidemic to stop people need to let their children experience life more, and not keep them sheltered in a little box through teaching them one way. They must learn both sides.

Juveniles must receive responsibility in their youth but not to the maximum that is how society can start a better world through this simple act. I have seen in my own life the highs and the low moments in my family, which have taught me to be strong and believe anything is possible. Yes, my life was hard at times but it taught me that not everything in life is beautiful.

I feel like if more people knew the good and the bad before moving out on their own, Juveniles would make less mistakes as well as committing murders. My call to action would have to be as a society we must look into why juveniles have chosen to do what they’ve done, and really read between the lines before sentencing that individual.I’m sure if we analyze the intent instead of throwing them into a cold hearted environment, we as a society can find out more about that individual, then we ever expected to find in the long run.