The question of whether or not to prosecute teen murderers as adults has been lingering—not only in my mind, but the minds of many lawmakers—it is a hot topic in our criminal justice system today. The seriousness of these murderous acts usually occurs with adults, and often, it's said that teenagers are immature. How can both an adult and a teenager commit the same crime, yet the punishments are significantly different?
This question has been brought up a lot in the criminal justice system recently with the case of Lily Peters, who was horrifically assaulted and murdered by a teenage boy, referred to as C.T.P.-B or Christopher in case documents. The fact that the suspect was charged as an adult despite his age, 16, sparked debates in the public about the necessity and justice of such legal actions. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals supported the decision to try the suspect as an adult, noting the heinousness of the crime and the necessity of accountability (‘Court of Appeals’), according to a report by the ‘Leader-Telegram’. This case, known as the Peters case, serves as only one illustration of the urgent necessity to prosecute young people as adults when they commit crimes such as murder.
Regardless of the age of the offender, murder is a serious crime that requires adult-level culpability by definition. When a minor commits a deliberate or violent act that causes death, the offense itself is too severe to be prosecuted as a juvenile and needs to be handled by an adult. According to Skoloff, the suspect in the Peters case was suspected of leading the young girl on a trail before fatally beating and strangling her. This horrific act shows a degree of ferocity and intent that calls for adult repercussions.
Furthermore, the idea that minors should not be tried in adult courts for significant offenses downplays how severe the conduct was. An article from ‘Law and Crime’ states that the suspect's defense claimed his autism should lessen the severity of his sentence, but the courts ruled that the seriousness of the crime outweighed the person's developmental state (Skoloff). The ‘Law and Crime’ article supports the idea that the impact of the crime must be recognized by the judge and jury, regardless of age or developmental stage. I believe they should pull up medical records for the suspect, and get him medically evaluated to determine the severity of his autism, however his severity of autism shouldnt determine his prison sentance. I do believe he deserves jail time, but its important they decide on his placemnt in the prisons based off of his medical evaluation. If the suspect has severe autism, its a danger to let him simply roam the world knowing hes caple to commit murder. Furthermore, if hes severly autistic he must be put seprate from the other prisoners to insure their safety.
The deterrence impact is one of the primary justifications for trying teenagers as adults. Teens may be less inclined to commit horrible crimes if they think they will be punished like adults for their actions. Since leniency in the juvenile system frequently fails to discourage repeat offenses, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) contends that aggressive minors should face adult consequences. The juvenile justice system is perceived as a "slap on the wrist," which is why "juvenile crime rates remain persistently high, particularly for violent offenses," according to the OJJDP.
Ensuring that juvenile killers face sentences commensurate with their offenses is another benefit of prosecuting them in adult court. Many contend that the potential release of a 17-year-old who kills someone while still a minor upon reaching the age of 18 or 21, is an inadequate penalty for taking a life. According to John D. Rogers, "public safety and justice require that these individuals face significant consequences to prevent future harm" (Rogers) in his article on the contentious argument over prosecuting juveniles as adults. The maturity level of a 16 year old and a 21 year old are not so shockingly very similar, to give a 21 year old and a 16 year old different punishments is unnecessary. Furthermore, regardless of age, if a person is willing to commit such brutal crimes, knowing full well what their doing is bad, they should be puninished.
Teenage killers are a serious threat to public safety as well. A juvenile's capacity for severe harm is demonstrated when they commit a violent crime like murder. These people might not have served their entire sentence in adult court and return to society, endangering others if they are not tried and convicted in adult court. Rogers points out that "placing violent offenders in the juvenile system does little to protect society from future crimes, as it does not offer sufficient rehabilitation or punishment" (Rogers). This worry is shown by the case of Lily Peters, where the juvenile suspect's violent behavior made him too risky to try in juvenile court (Skoloff). Juvenile court and prisons are, in most cases and in years passed, not organized, underfunded, and not fit to handle murders. Many minors in juvenile prisons are their for theft, drug dealing, and other more “smaller” or “petty” crimes.
Juveniles' developing brains mean they shouldn't be held to the same standards as adults, according to critics. Children who commit crimes frequently lack the cognitive capacity to fully understand the implications of their acts, according to the Juvenile Law Center (JLC), and as a result, they should be given the chance to rehabilitate in the juvenile system ("Youth Tried as Adults"). This argument ignores the gravity of premeditated acts like murder, even though it is based on the idea that teenagers are less guilty than adults. Everyone's actions have consequences, and to say that a minor's consequence for murder is less than an adult's is outrageous.
For less severe offenses, rehabilitation might be desirable; nevertheless, in the case of murder, the necessity for justice wins out above developmental considerations. According to the OJJDP, adolescents who commit violent crimes ought to be punished like adults because the juvenile system is not designed to deal with these kinds of situations. Juveniles charged as adults are guaranteed to receive justice for the victims and to promote public safety (OJJDP).
The question of whether juvenile killers should be prosecuted as adults or not is a complicated one. Still, it seems evident that adult courts should handle cases involving such people due to the seriousness of the crime, the necessity for deterrents, and public safety considerations. Even while teenagers might not be as mature cognitively as adults, they nonetheless need to be held responsible for horrible crimes like murder. The criminal justice system can safeguard society, impose proper punishment, and make it clear that violent crimes—regardless of the age of the offender—will be tried as an adult.
Works Cited
"Violent Juveniles Should Be Tried as Adults." Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/violent-juveniles-should-be-tried-adults-violence-opposing
Rogers, John D. "The Controversial Debate of Trying Juveniles as Adults in the Criminal Justice System." John D. Rogers Law, johndrogerslaw.com/the-controversial-debate-of-trying-juveniles-as-adults-in-the-criminal-justice-system
Skoloff, Brian. "Teen with Accused of Luring 10-Year-Old Girl Down Trail Before Beating Her with a Stick and Strangling Her to Death Just Got a Big Court Loss." Law and Crime, lawandcrime.com/crime/teen-with-autism-accused-of-luring-10-year-old-girl-down-trail-before-beating-her-with-a-stick-and-strangling-her-to-death-just-got-a-big-court-loss
"Youth Tried as Adults." Juvenile Law Center, jlc.org/issues/youth-tried-adults
"Court of Appeals Affirms Peters Murder Suspect Can Be Tried as an Adult." Leader-Telegram, www.leadertelegram.com/news/front-page/court-of-appeals-affirms-peters-murder-suspect-can-be-tried-as-an-adult
"Happening Today: Ruling on Adult Court Appeal in Lily Peters Murder Case." WQOW, www.wqow.com/news/chippewa_falls_homicide/happening-today-ruling-on-adult-court-appeal-in-lily-peters-murder-case
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