Should Children Be Charged With Their Crimes - 1648 Words

SHOULD CHILDREN BE CHARGED WITH THEIR CRIMES The public is often bombarded by the media about crimes committed by adolescents, but could the law itself improve their method of dealing with the youth of society? The current legislation, the Youth Justice Act, 1992, provides ‘fair and balanced’ laws that are somewhat affective in disciplining and protecting children that have relations with the youth justice system. The judicial system ensures that children be punished for their crimes and that the court is also made certain that the child has the same rights as an adult. Although they are sentenced fairly, imprisonment seems to have a lesser effect on the offender than community service. The judges are also likely to prioritise helping and rehabilitating the accused, not just punishing them (Bowen, 1994, p117). From studies completed i.e. studies completed in 2013, found that juveniles are three times more likely to commit an offence from around the ages of 15 to 19 years old. Even though this may be an outstanding factor, it can also be noted that juveniles tend to ‘grow out’ of criminal acts as they mature in age, and that their crimes are usually less serious (Healey, 2013, p5). Currently, in Queensland, the legal age of a child to be tried for a crime within the court system, is defined by when a youth has the ability to know whether their actions are right or wrong. Unlike the rest of Australia, it is stated in the Queensland Criminal Code Act 1899, section 29 (1),Show MoreRelatedThe Juvenile Court : An Adult Offender991 Words   |  4 Pagesprinciples; children at a certain age are too young to be held accountable for their actions, they are not mentally competent, and they are more likely to be rehabilitated than an adult offender. However, in the past years juvenile are committing more violent crimes that suggest they should be tried in criminal courts rather than juvenile courts. It is my belief that if a child under the age of 18 commits a violent crime they should be c harged as an adult offender. Certain criteria should be establishedRead MoreShould Juveniles Be Charged As Adults?956 Words   |  4 Pages Should Juveniles Be Charged As Adults? Juveniles are being charged as adults more regularly, being housed in adult prisons and the judicial system is using this as a type of reform. There are multiple reasons that this type of reform has become more acceptable and why some believe it depends on the charge to whether the child committing the crime should be charged as an adult, as well as why housing minors whom charged as adults should not be housed in adult facilitiesRead MoreJuveniles And The Criminal Justice System1594 Words   |  7 Pageswhether or not juveniles should ever be tried as adults. Juveniles are defined as children under the age of 18. In the past, juveniles have been tried in a separate juvenile court because of their age. However, trying juveniles as adults for violent crimes is a trend that is on the rise. Age is supposed to be a deterrent for placing those under 18 on trial and giving them stiffer punishments that are often reserved for adults. Many debate whether or not juveniles really should h ave less severe punishmentsRead MoreJuveniles And Prisons1313 Words   |  6 Pagesfuture of children in this country.† (D. Lee) An estimated 200,000 juveniles are tried as adults. The term juvenile refers to any young person under the age of 18. For most states in the United States, the age of majority is 18. While there are many things that juveniles are unable to do until they reach the age of 18, being charged as an adult for a crime is not amongst those things in some states. Juveniles are not allowed to vote, drink alcohol, or sign a legal contract, yet they can be charged andRead MoreEssay about Juveniles Should Not Be Charged Differently594 Words   |  3 Pagesonce they commit a crime. Folks think that their brain is not fully developed, but they sure do know what they are doing. If teenagers have the capability to commit a crime, there must be something between that made them act the way they did. Many blame parents for their child’s actions because they thi nk that the kids learn from parents. For example, bad behavior, drug abuse, rape, murder, etc., but teenagers should learn from their parents mistakes. Teenagers should not be charged differently, ifRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency Is The Highest Rate For Juvenile Crime1733 Words   |  7 Pagescan be charged as an adult, well in Japan until you are 20 you can still be charged as a minor. In germany they consider 21 a legal adult .On the other hand when you become 17 in Australia you are charged as an adult. They way they treat juveniles in prison also differs. The punishments they receive, the programs they have and the privileges they offer are all different. So why does the U.S have the highest rate for juvenile crime? The United States has the highest rate for juvenile crime yet, likeRead MoreWhen A Child Is Considered An Adult As Far As Criminal Charges Are Concerned?1015 Words   |  4 Pagesescalation to an adult punish for a non-adult being charged is based on the crime that is committed or not. Question One The point in which a person is considered an adult, assuming the person in question is under 18 years of age, depends a lot and on a number of factors. The point in which that demarcation occurs can be in the early teens and can range all the way up to 17 years old. There are legal limits in place in terms of who can be charged as an adult despite being under 18 and they vary widelyRead MoreThe Ratio Of Seriousness Of Crime1635 Words   |  7 PagesMany people believe the saying, â€Å"If you are old enough to commit the crime, you are old enough to do the time.† However, many of the people that believe this saying do not consider the ratio of seriousness of crime to age of offender. Other people may say, â€Å"Oh, they are just too young. They did not really know what they were doing.† Maybe that statement is true or maybe the juvenile offender knew exactly what he or she was doing. Who else besides the child would know? Who can accurately and fairlyRead MoreThe Juven ile Court System Should Be Abolished1489 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloped, and can rehabilitate easier than adults. In all but three states, anyone charged with committing a criminal act before his or her eighteenth birthday is considered a juvenile offender. Now more than ever, states and countries have begun to question the reliability of the juvenile court. Some believe the juvenile court system should be abolished because of its insufficient gain to the community. Others believe children are not fully capable to understand the degree of their actions and the consequencesRead MoreThe Biological Characteristics Of Children842 Words   |  4 Pagesexcludes children under the age of seven from criminal liability for their actions. Children are presumed to be incapable of committing an offense. According to the law, children are incapable of making concrete mental judgments of what is right or wrong; hence, they cannot be charged with committing any form of crime. This paper seeks to discuss the various biological characteristics in children that excludes them from being accountable for their actions, the cognitive ability of children with reference