Should children, 14 & younger, who commit violent crimes be treated as adults in court?
466285
Wow, this is a hard one.  First of all, all kids are not the same.  Some have learnig diasbilities and really have no idea what the consequences are for their crimes, and even if they are puniched as adults, still won't understand what is happening to them.  The ones who are fully capable of understanding what they are doing at the time of the crime, if violent, should be treated as an adult.  To do things they know are wrong just for the sake of dong them is wrong.  So, in answer to your question, I guess you would have to take it case by case and see who knows what and if the mentality is that of an adult.
659505
I am against it. I dont care about adults who ACTUALLY do the crime, but to kill a child because he did something wrong, that is inhumane. i mean it all is, but if they are an adult and did it purposefully, they need that punishment. But a child doesnt know any better and it doesnt solve anything. Thats cruel and unusual punishment.
811075
Um, because they are NOT adults.\n\nSociety reserves some privileges and some punishments for adults because they are deemed to be mature enough to make decisions. A juvenile is not mature enough to fully comprehend the consequences of some actions, so they are prosecuted differently.
964982
What rights?\nThey don't have any, and if they do something really stupid, the legal system declares them adults.  NO justice!
204827
Children are the only thing that's sacred remaining in this world. People who hurt kids should be punished severely. Yes, that is an excellent idea, in my opinion- to sterilize criminals who have harmed innocent kids (every kid is innocent, because they are defenseless against larger adults). If they are prevented from having any other kids, that would help give at least some degree of assurance that they wouldn't fall into recidivism. But on the other hand, measures might need to be taken to prevent any offender from adopting other children, and measures to prevent an offender from working around kids, too. Prison time would also be a good idea- and sterilization. If the individual ever got out of jail, then they would not have any immediate children to harm.
889302
Yes, there are differing levels of "adulthood."  Generally 18 is the standard (consent to contract, purchase of some "adult" products, etc.) Some states mandate age 21 before the individuals can have access to adult movies.  Most states rate the age of consent for sexual activity somewhere between 16 and 18.  Most states universally charge defendants as "adults" at 18, with prosecutorial discretion to divert some juvenile offenders to adult court based on particular facts and circumstances.\n\n"Adult" is just a term, and it is often defined in many different ways in different contexts.
790919
get sent to prision for your crimes at an adult level.
947789
No definitely not, and besides that, jail does nothing to reform juvenile offenders, it just integrates them into a culture of adult offenders.  I think the key to curbing delinquent behavior in kids starts with the family- we don't have the reigns as tight on our kids as our parents had on us, and it shows.  Kids need curfews, jobs, and a sense of respect in general, and no amount of threats will instill that.
48337
I think it depends on the crime.  If it was premeditated and gruesome, then by all means yes; however, if it was accidental, and unplanned, i.e. like that boy who accidently killed that little girl by performing a wrestleing move on her, then no, but they would need some form of hospitalization.
455813
I believe that teenagers should be tried as juveniles no matter what their crime, they ARE juveniles. Young minds are not as developed as adult minds and at such a young age people cannot understand the far reaching consequences of their actions. I think it's cruel to try a child as an adult.
541683
There are many aspects to your question and it could generate many pages of debate on here.\n\nIn my opinion it depends on the situation, and every case would have to be evaluated individually.  Science has proven that the brain continues to grow and change until about the age of 21, so a teenager's brain has not yet fully developed to understand the implications of any crime in an adultlike manner.   The teenager's brain is not fully mature.\n\nA question that has to be considered is the teenager's background.  Many (not all) young people who commit serious crimes had a horrendous time as a child, and were often victims themselves of abuse, often of many types of abuse, often abuse that society turned a blind eye to.   Such kids are emotionally damaged, and need intensive help to recover and be rehabilitated, if that is possible, and it certainly cannot happen if they are sent to adult prison.  They need in depth assessment to determine the extent of their pathology, if any, and the chance of recovery.\n\nAs a society we sometimes find it very easy to throw kids away.  It is usually much easier to lock them up and forget about them than it is to correct the damage.  No doubt there are problems with the juvenile justice system in any country, and there are no simple answers, nor is there any one answer that fits every situation.  But most of the time (again, not always) when kids commint a violent crime, there was something that made them that way.  Often the source of the problem can be identified and the kid can be turned around.  But it takes a bit time and energy and a huge amount of understanding and compassion and patience to do so.\n\nA society is known by how it treats those who most need help.
1183278
In most cases...I totally agree. I do believe there are some crimes that don't fit in that catagory. \nIf someone molested my child and my husband went after that person and killed him....I do NOT believe that he should get the same. I believe that the justice system is so messed up its unbelievable.\n\nRight here...locally...a man shook his 4 month old baby boy (there was a twin sister)shook him so hard it killed him.....2 years later...he is sentenced to 5 years. Thats when I believe in your therory. That man should be put in general population and have it announced over the intercom system what he is in for.\n\nI believe any act of crime against a child should be a maximum penalty.....bar none.....why does this criminals rights get taken into consideration.....The child will suffer and remember what ever happened for the rest of their life.....if they are alive. And we worry about the rights of the criminal.....I have to wonder..if a judges child has ever been a victim....would it change their beliefs?\n\nOK..Sorry...this really hit home for me....very good question !!!
709254
i think that people who abuse children should be castrated but of course that is against their human rights but i think that it is against human rights to abuse a child. i think the same applies to all crimes and criminals. if you violate someone else's human rights than so should yours. people wouldnt be scared of this if they havent done anything wrong
664546
Absolutely, my niece was 14 years old, and was raped, and murdered by a 16 year old next door neighbor kid. He beat her to death with a claw hammer, while he was on an ankle bracelet. My sister sued the State and won too. He is in Pendleton maximum security prison for the rest of his life. He received 3 life sentences to be served consecutively. He will never get out.
1074686
Please expand on your question.  In most cases, juveniles get MORE freedom than adults for the same crimes/accusations.
296903
By the age of 13, a person understands that if they murder someone, it is forever.  They know the difference between right and wrong.  So yes, if they commit a crime, they should be treated as an adult and receive the same punishments.
901506
this is a very good question seeing as our criminals are getting younger and younger. i think that parents should be held responsible as a lot of them dont even know where they are half the time! but fines would be no good they would have to do some public service of some kind. it would improve parenting skills i think as they would do their damn best to make sure their kids behaved. discipline and morals are not present today as they used to be because like the police, parents rights have all been taken away and the kids know they have the upper hand, and can abuse the system and get away with it