Should Teens Be Tried As Adults | Teen Ink

Should Teens Be Tried As Adults MAG

By Anonymous

   Should teenagers be tried as adults? Opinions differ. Some people argue that teenagers don't know what they are doing when they commit a crime and are still too young to comprehend what is right and wrong. I totally disagree. I am old enough to know that committing a crime is wrong and that if I commit one, I will be punished. Anyone who says teens can't tell right from wrong is either too old to remember what being a teenager is like or they are a teenager who has committed a crime and don't want to be tried as an adult. In either case, they are wrong. All teens know that killing is wrong, yet they do it anyway and get away with a light sentence because of their age. Even if a teen didn't know it was wrong, it doesn't mean it's right. They should still be punished. If they aren't, they willthink that crimes are okay and continue to commit them.

Teens today don't fear the law because they don't think they will get caught. And if they do, they know they have a good chance of getting off because they are tried as teens and not adults. We have to get tougher on crime. There should be a law that everyone over eleven years old will be tried as adults. That way more teens would be discouraged from committing crimes. They would know that murder would get them a very long sentence instead of staying in juvenile hall until they are eighteen. If we want to cut down on teen crime, we have to have tougher laws. ?





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This article has 323 comments.


on Jun. 1 2011 at 10:26 am
Brittbyheart SILVER, Yucca Valley, California
6 articles 9 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
No matter what you do in life, in the end, the only person that will take impact is you.

I agrre 100% with this article. I know some cases where a teen murdered someone and faced life in jail, and Im proud to say I'm happy about that. Teens know better. You may say that they dont know better but, really? You have kids and your oldest smacks the youngest accross the head, aare you going to let it slid because "they dont know any better"? Im darn sure thata they DO know better, because Im 15 and ALWAYS smack my sisters haha. Even though its wrong, I do it. I get in trouble and next time it takes more to irritate me before I smack them again. But if I got put in jail for smacking them, I will GARENTEE! I will NEVER smak my sister again! Teens do know better, we just choose not to behave. If we get bunished hard enough, we will stop.

 


on Jun. 1 2011 at 7:53 am
K.M.S.Shear BRONZE, Cherokee, Iowa
2 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Some people think writing is a waist of their time. For me it’s a way to draw an image of myself through the painting of words."

i agree with you i know whats right and wrong and still am in my younger teens. I see how inmuture people my age can be. So teens under the age of fifteen should begiven a breack.  

new york said...
on May. 31 2011 at 4:25 pm
to violenttiger... so let say if a 13 year old murder one of your family member the kid will only be locked up only for 5 years do you think that would be enough time for a kid that comitted a first degree murder?

Fudged Up said...
on May. 23 2011 at 1:10 pm
YES! Because its SOOOO bad to get an education, get a nutrious meal, and even HAVE CLOTHES!! You want freedom? Move out and get a job. Ou want freedom, youre gonna get responsibilities too.

violenttiger said...
on May. 17 2011 at 12:07 pm
Children should not be tried as an adult, just because one person knows right from wrong doesn't mean that everyone does, some people have different backrounds.. Maybe they wern't taught. I don't think any kid below twelve should be tried! they dont know what they are doing, and don't know coniquences! Even teens don't always make mature honest desicions... THINK ABOUT IT

on May. 10 2011 at 7:00 pm
RainyWriter GOLD, Redmond, Washington
14 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
Only the smart, talented, amazing, and insane are remembered in history.

I'm thinking 11 is a little young, maybe 14 or 15.

We're always wanting to be treated like adults, I only think it's fair that if a crime that is so horrendous adults have difficulty dealing with it, should be trialed (is that a word?) like an adult case would. Now there's all that stuff about prefrontal cortex or whatnot in a young person's brain, but if a person is intelligent enought to kill someone and try to cover it up, it's not a matter of brain capacity or reasoning, it's a matter of "should this person get treated lightly due to age, and then released into society after spending time in detention facilities"?

Killing is something only people with something dark in their souls can do, I believe. Sometimes that darkness gets pulled out in the worst of times. It is an unforgivable act though. Even for a child that is approaching adulthood. Sure, you can make mistakes, but we're all human because we know there are certain mistakes we can never take back. I think we all realize that at a young age, before 11 even.

Should teenagers be tried like adults? I think if they are around 15 or older, yes. Only with substantial evidence though. Whether it be burglarly, murder, etc, yes. Yes. However, I think they should also get into some sort of rehab program. We are still young, we are still impressionable. If someone tells us something is wrong and backs it up, we believe it. Punishing someone like an adult tells them that what they did was incredibly wrong, but helping them get through it will show them that they can maybe prove themselves as part of society again.


Gigantron GOLD said...
on May. 10 2011 at 6:58 pm
Gigantron GOLD, Somewhere, Texas
11 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority (imposed dogma, faith), [as opposed to] science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works."

-Stephen Hawking

There is absolutely no way you can provide a solid argument with purely anecdotal experience. Your comment thusly is rendered invalid. 

------ said...
on May. 9 2011 at 6:22 pm
I'm 17 and havent committed any crime and I don't believe minors should be tried as adults. Hole in your arguement?

RJ Unicruz said...
on Apr. 29 2011 at 1:44 pm
Well, I gotta correct you where the part that says,"Developed Brains don't matter". Actually, it does matter, given by the fact that the way a teen brain thinks is more like the way a child thinks, as psychologists say. Teens are still a bit dependent on their parents, that's why people like to argue that teens should be tried as teens, though the consequenses may be severe, punishment is one of the ways you could straighten them up.

RJ Unicruz said...
on Apr. 29 2011 at 1:31 pm
Well, as far as I know, teenagers are still classified as premature humans. Although they have the knowledge that committing a crime is a bad thing, they still do it and I agree that they should be punished. But the main question is this: Do we forgive enough? Of course, the answer is a vague "no". Though some people can forgive others, teens are hard to forgive because of there culpability as premature humans, which leads to big questions to how much the punishment would be. For me, the question is not how much we punish them, it is actually our capability to forgive. 

coolcow22 said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 8:55 pm
i agree it really does depend onthe circumstances of the crime and it depends on the person and lets face it this isnt that great of a story to comment on

i<3soda said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 7:48 pm
Well most of teens that do commite murder aren't in the right state of mind when it happens and have been said to have mental issues.

none said...
on Apr. 22 2011 at 10:34 am
In 1993, 2-year-old Jamie Bulger living in Bootle, England, was taken by two 10-year-old boys and was mutilated and murdered.  The two boys then laid his body on a railroad track with the intention of causing substantial injury which would cover up what they had done to the child.  The murderers were tried and convicted as minors and the boys have since been relocated and given new identities. okay so now tell me the an 11 year old wouldnt kill someone? cause im pretty sure that they are capable of killing somebody or committing a crime!

Tohruhond105 said...
on Apr. 20 2011 at 9:09 am
...writingangle...rly? WHO COMES UP WITH ORIGANAL NAMES LIKE THT!!!! :DD -hi5-

on Apr. 20 2011 at 9:07 am
No....there is no maby T_T

on Apr. 20 2011 at 9:06 am
lml (>.<) lml

on Apr. 20 2011 at 9:05 am
If you agreee with this comment plz comment...GUMMY BEARS AND M&M'S WILL RULE THE WORLD!!!!

on Apr. 20 2011 at 9:04 am
U CONFUSE ME D:<

Archy said...
on Apr. 18 2011 at 8:33 pm
Archy, Honolulu, Hawaii
0 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone"
~Robin Williams

I agree and disagree. I agree that teens do think they can get away with most crimes just because they are underage. However being 18 and above in american shows you are an adult. Teens shouldnt be tried as adults because they arent adults. Sometimes people dont know what they are doing. Now what were you thinking when you said eleven and above. I can hardly see and eleven year old in Middle School killing someone. the age should be more like 16 or 15. Not 11 thats stupid. Sorry but thats tooooo young.Otherwise I agree that Teenagers get off to easily when it comes to serious crimes.

Blobthe15 said...
on Apr. 18 2011 at 5:51 pm
Blobthe15, Marion, Iowa
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Maybe, but children should only be tried for adults until they have all the freedoms an adult has. We have to go to school against our will, we have to eat foods we don't like, we have to wear clothes that we don't want to, the list goes on and on. Once teens are granted those freedoms, I think they can't be held accountable for adult crimes and punishement.

Unless they're like 4, but I don't know how a 4 year old could kill someone.