The Pros And Cons Of Minors
Introduction
Today’s court system has many difficult decisions to make everyday. One of the most controversial decisions is whether or not try certain juveniles as adults or not. On one hand, being tried as a minor is considered unconstitutional, while on the other side it seems necessary in order to protect society. Some of the factors the court considers when convicting a minor is “age, physical and mental maturity, past attempts and future potential for rehabilitation, harm suffered by the victim, use of a firearm, and public safety” (“) Many minors who have been convicted came from unstable homes, lived in poverty, or have been physically abused. (“Children” 1). Factors such as these make it hard for people to decide if minors should be tried as adults. However, before making a decision, it is important to learn all …show more content…
In most states, the eligibility age is at 16, but some states don’t have an age limit at all. There are many factors that may cause a minor to be tried as an adult such as: A lengthy juvenile record, being charged with a serious offense, such as homicide, or past rehabilitation efforts being unsuccessful. (“When” 1). Some argue that race and ethnicity have a big part of who does or does not get tried as an adult. A 2007 study found that minors who are black were about 10x as likely to be committed to adult facilities, despite the fact that half of those cases were related to “property, drug, or public order crimes, not serious violent offenses.” (“New” 1).
Conclusion
There are many different pros and cons for children being tried as adults depending on different morals, but by putting an end to juvenile crime before it even starts all of these problems with juveniles in the judicial system would be able to be avoided and society would be much safer and happier for
Today’s court system has many difficult decisions to make everyday. One of the most controversial decisions is whether or not try certain juveniles as adults or not. On one hand, being tried as a minor is considered unconstitutional, while on the other side it seems necessary in order to protect society. Some of the factors the court considers when convicting a minor is “age, physical and mental maturity, past attempts and future potential for rehabilitation, harm suffered by the victim, use of a firearm, and public safety” (“) Many minors who have been convicted came from unstable homes, lived in poverty, or have been physically abused. (“Children” 1). Factors such as these make it hard for people to decide if minors should be tried as adults. However, before making a decision, it is important to learn all …show more content…
In most states, the eligibility age is at 16, but some states don’t have an age limit at all. There are many factors that may cause a minor to be tried as an adult such as: A lengthy juvenile record, being charged with a serious offense, such as homicide, or past rehabilitation efforts being unsuccessful. (“When” 1). Some argue that race and ethnicity have a big part of who does or does not get tried as an adult. A 2007 study found that minors who are black were about 10x as likely to be committed to adult facilities, despite the fact that half of those cases were related to “property, drug, or public order crimes, not serious violent offenses.” (“New” 1).
Conclusion
There are many different pros and cons for children being tried as adults depending on different morals, but by putting an end to juvenile crime before it even starts all of these problems with juveniles in the judicial system would be able to be avoided and society would be much safer and happier for