Prison, Juvenile Detention Centers, or a New Life? | Teen Ink

Prison, Juvenile Detention Centers, or a New Life?

January 14, 2010
By Amie54321 SILVER, Houston, Texas
Amie54321 SILVER, Houston, Texas
5 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Everyone has their views on who’s an adult and who’s a child, some religions even have a ceremony to mark it. But what truly shows that you’re an adult? For juries and judges their judging kids from the age of 10 as adult and their ability to go to jail. Two authors show the thoughts on the matter, Jessica Wilde and Mike Hendricks. Both have an opposing idea on the matter of trying juveniles. Wilde believes that children can have the same motives as adults in many cases. She gives the example of two ten-year-old boys brutally murdering and a young two-year-old boy that had the unfortunate incident of walking away from his mother into the hands of two unwise, bloodthirsty ten-year-old boys. The boys’ only punishment was getting a new name and moving to a new land. Wilde strongly believes that children should be tried as adults. Oppositely Hendricks believes that children shouldn’t be tried as adults. He states that “Kansas forbids that you cannot get a tattoo until you’re 18, but 15- year- olds can get married if the judge allows it”(Hendricks 1) Both have supporting ideas and state the ideas clearly but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Children of a certain age should know right from wrong. A child at the age of ten should know that murdering a 2 year old is obviously wrong, bet yet their only punishment was to be sent to rehabilitation center and the given a new name and sent to a new town.
These to kids should have been punished more seriously. Now we have two murders out there that killed a child for fun and now they could hurt anyone else if they liked. Children can have the same motives as adults can and should be treated any differently because they are a little more immature. An adult defiantly could reciprocate what those boys did to that baby and the decision they made to do it, and an adult could have performed that. Children are just as much responsible for the actions as adults are.

Some people believe that children like Kearie Brown who allegedly shot a 16 year old when he caught her stealing his car should be sparred and let go (Hendricks 1). I defiantly do not agree with this. A 15-year-old girl shot another teen at point blank when she was caught steeling his car, and people believe she should be let go? Others say that they should be sent to rehabilitation and say that anybody can be fixed. What if a child doesn’t want to be fixed? A child should just get their punishment as an adult.

The crimes that children are committing are hurting families and causing pain. Children should be responsible for their action and no matter how old they are they should receive the punishment that they deserve. Yes, jail is a place for innocent children but it is a place for criminals, no matter what age. Children should be tried as adults in court.

The author's comments:
“Prison, Juvenile Detention Center, or New Life?” is the first classical argument I have written. I wasn’t very confident that I would receive a good grade. To prepare for this essay I read many sources and other websites but I had a difficult time supporting my ideas with these sources. I enjoyed finding the flaws in the other side of the argument and showing them why. I think I did great with coming up with arguments that stated my ideas, unfortunately I had a lot trouble with supporting them. If I could rewrite this paper I would make sure I had my ideas and supporting quotes before writing the paper, My peers say that it was a strong argument but not enough support. If I was grading this paper I would give myself a 80.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 5 comments.


on Feb. 8 2010 at 7:36 pm
Amie54321 SILVER, Houston, Texas
5 articles 0 photos 9 comments
Thanks,

I understand where your coming from.

zobean GOLD said...
on Feb. 8 2010 at 7:16 pm
zobean GOLD, Northfield, Massachusetts
16 articles 1 photo 33 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A Good player inspires themselves. A GREAT player inspires others."

I am sorry, but I too have to disagree. Yes, murder is serious and should be punished for more seriously, a young child may not know what is right and wrong. Things such as parents not following rules or health disabilities may cause children to not know that they are doing something bad. Also, a child's mind is very delicate and if they are punished to badly their mind and imagination can decrease and cause them to grow up too quickly. What i mean by this is that, if a child say is tried for felony as an adult and is sent to jail, that child will be left to grow up on it's own and come up with the right and wrong by themselves. Since they are being punishd they might think that it is ok to punish others and that is not a good message we want to send. Yes, teenagers should know better, but what if you were tried as an adult for shooting a threatening being, that would be scaring and unfair. Also, as you said, "crimes that childrean are committing are hurting families and causing pain." Trying children as adults will not stop that pain. If anything, this will cause more. Imagine if you were a mother an your seven year old daughter were sent to jail for a mistake she did because she really didn't know what she was doing. I know I would be heartbroken...

So, all and all, i have to strongly disagree with you but i do have to say that the passion and understanding that you put into this essay and topic is great and shows.

on Jan. 31 2010 at 11:38 am
Amie54321 SILVER, Houston, Texas
5 articles 0 photos 9 comments
Thank you for your feedback.

on Jan. 31 2010 at 11:36 am
Amie54321 SILVER, Houston, Texas
5 articles 0 photos 9 comments
Thanks for feedback:)

Jacksprak said...
on Jan. 30 2010 at 11:14 pm
I politely disagree. I find that, yes, in severe cases like murder for the heck of it should be held in an adulterated court. Though usually, the murderer of said crime with be found with a severe mental disorder. Yet, I find that in many cases, people need to realize, some kids just don't get crime and punishment. Should we bring the hard hand on these kids, or should we give them fair warning? Do we automatically punish for everything, or do we sit down like the civilized people we are and say, "You did wrong, and we're going to set you strait." I find if we strive to help kids, they're helpped. The adult system is a hard and cruel place. if you are tried as an adult, that's were you go. Tell me, if you your self needed cash really really fast, say for your poor little dying sibling, Stole, and got caught, how would you like bunking between a public drunk and a Car theif? All and all, My opinion on the subject is, not saying this to be mean, that your idea is an easy way to deal with things. look at it like everyone knows better and doesn't want help. that's a right and wrong answer. they usually don't want help, but alot of times, they don't know better. I truly believe that if you push these kids to be the best they can be, they will leave crime behind and start anew. That just doen't happen in adult systems. those systems harden you, the don't heal you to be your best. that's why, though i respect your imput, I find kids should be in the small criminal corrections until they do something extreme, which happens less and less.