The Juvenile Court An Adult Offender - 991 Words

The Juvenile Court was established in 1899, under the Juvenile Court Act. The Act was established under three principles; children at a certain age are too young to be held accountable for their actions, they are not mentally competent, and they are more likely to be rehabilitated than an adult offender. However, in the past years juvenile are committing more violent crimes that suggest they should be tried in criminal courts rather than juvenile courts. It is my belief that if a child under the age of 18 commits a violent crime they should be charged as an adult offender. Certain criteria should be established when charging a juvenile as an adult; at what age should a child know right from wrong, the type of crime a child has committed, and if the child is a repeat offender. These three things should be questioned when charging a child as an adult. Researchers have discussed that at the age between 12 and 15 is when a child starts to develop the understanding of their actions. Ps ychologically, their brain starts to advance into creating their own thought process. Dr. William Womack a Psychiatrist states that young children have not yet developed the mind set to value another human’s life. A minor who commits a crime at a young age should pay for the consequences as an adult would. Their thought process doesn’t start after they commit the crime, it starts before they commit the crime. I believe that when a minor commits a violent crime they know what they are doing.Show MoreRelatedJuvenile Offenders And Adult Court1502 Words   |  7 PagesThe dilemma of whether or not to transfer juveniles to adult court has been a major topic, for many years, in the United States. Since 1899, judges have had the option to transfer juveniles to adult court. The major factor for transferring juveniles to adult court since then has been the seriousness of the offense. That being said, juveniles only make up a small portion of violent crimes in the United S tates. Only 16 percent of juvenile offenders in 2008 were arrested for violent crimes (ChampionRead MoreJuvenile Offenders And The Adult Courts For Trial1102 Words   |  5 Pagesother states, has provisions, provided for in the state laws, for the transfer of juvenile offenders to the adult courts for trial. The youth court has to follow the procedures, which are outlined in the statute, to include the minimum age of a juvenile, who is to be transferred to the adult courts, and the specific crimes for which such a transfer may take place. While I recognize, as the United States Supreme Court did in Roper v. Simmons, (2005), that children are immature, and easily led astrayRead MoreThe Origins Of Juvenile Justice1385 Words   |  6 Pagesof juvenile justice, from the house of refuge to the juvenile programs of today. Ans: In the early nineteenth century, the idea of reforming youth offenders took root in the United States. The House of Refuge in New York, which opened in 1824, was the first juvenile house of reform in the United States. This was the first attempt to house juvenile offenders in a separate facility and other States, like Maryland, would soon follow suit. The idea was not to punish juveniles offenders as adults butRead MoreJuvenile Transfer For Adult Courts : A Look At The Prototypes For Dangerousness, Sophistication Maturity, And Amenability925 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile Transfer to Adult Courts: A Look at the Prototypes for Dangerousness, Sophistication-Maturity, and Amenability to Treatment through a Legal Lens http://psycnet.apa.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/journals/law/8/4/373.html In transferring, a juvenile to adult court there is a certain amount of criteria that needs to be followed. The first criteria is if the juvenile is dangerous to the community, the maturity of the offender, and the psychological findings of the offender, it helps to determineRead MorePros And Cons Of Juvenile Offenders1024 Words   |  5 PagesJuvenile Offenders or Adult Criminals? The act of participating in a crime by a minor is considered juvenile delinquency. This criminal act may be punished by many different means, designed specifically to deal with those who are under the statutory age of majority, which is the threshold of adulthood in law. However, many people argue that the severity of the juvenile prosecution system isnt high enough to order proper punishment. Therefore, juvenile offenders should be tried under adult laws.Read MoreJuvenile 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 MoreEssay on Ramifications of the Juvenile Justice Waiver1537 Words   |  7 PagesSocial workers in the court room play an major role in helping to decide whether or not a child should be charged as an adult for committing a crime while a minor. A minor being sent to juvenile court does not necessarily mean that the minor will be tried as an juvenile. It is also the responsibility of the court to determine if the minor should stay in juvenile court of be moved into adult criminal court. A social work assigned to the minor as well as the defense attorney, prosecutor, and judgeRead MoreThe Effects Of Charging Juveniles Of Adults1689 Words   |  7 Pagescan we possibly try a juvenile as an adult when juveniles are proven to have diminished impulse control? This paper will discuss the history of charging juveniles of adults, discuss the issues that make this practice wrong while negating opposing arguments, and explain the various consequences that come with charging juvenile offenders as adults. When the United States was first established as an independent country, there was no such thing as â€Å"family court† or even the juvenile justice system. ThereforeRead MoreThe Abolition Of The Juvenile Justice System1748 Words   |  7 PagesIn Canada, the juvenile court was established as a tribunal having the sole jurisdiction to hear, process as well as pass judgments for illegal behaviour that are committed by youths. This is a court system that fully distinguishes youths from adults as far as crime is concerned where their misconduct is labeled as delinquent acts rather than crime (Barry, 1987, p. 476). Youth are presumed to have less understanding of social norms and they are less aware of the long-term consequences of their behaviourRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Juvenile Offenders950 Words   |  4 PagesBibliography 1. JUVENILE TRANSFER TO ADULT COURTS A Look at the Prototypes for Dangerousness, Sophistication-Maturity, and Amenability to Treatment Through A Legal Lens http://psycnet.apa.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/journals/law/8/4/373.html In transferring, a juvenile to adult court there is a certain amount of criteria that needs to be followed. The first criteria is if the juvenile is dangerous to the community, the maturity of the offender, and the psychology findings of the offender, it helps to