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Should Teens Be Tried As Adults MAG
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.
xLaFrekitax3 said...
on Jan. 15 2010 at 8:53 am
Well , i currently think that teens under 17 shouldnt be tried as an adult becuase they oviously dont know what they are doing . We teen's theese day's know what we do butt dont ack like it . We know whats wrong and whats right but when some thing pop's outt in our mined's we dont care and do what we want too do . but yeah some times we have to do thing's cuase it's eather you do it or your family gets involved . So yeah i think that teen's under 17 SHOUlDNT be tried as an adlutt .
Jackie502 said...
on Jan. 8 2010 at 11:43 am
Well if they realize that they are wrong and want to change they could look for help.
paperstar2 said...
on Jan. 7 2010 at 8:27 pm
Yes, you are right, teenagers are capable of knowing right from wrong.
But what if a teenager grew up in a violent environment?
But what if a teenager grew up in a violent environment?
Jackie502 said...
on Jan. 7 2010 at 12:14 pm
Just because teens are teens does not mean that they arent capable of comprehending what's right and wrong. Age doesnt matter. If you know its wrong to kill a person knowing your consequences will be severve you would have to be retarted to do it!! And no it doesnt mean that they are adults but eventually you will HAVE to learn from your mistakes therefore making them a little more matture.
paperstar said...
on Jan. 5 2010 at 9:39 pm
Because teenagers in adult prisons have high chances of being beaten, raped , or commite suicide
And The Juvenile Justice system punishes teenagers as well
And The Juvenile Justice system punishes teenagers as well
xasanaar said...
on Jan. 5 2010 at 9:10 pm
i totally this article that saying teen should be tried as an adult iam 14 and i know right from wrong!!!
Karma_Chameleon SILVER said...
on Jan. 1 2010 at 6:44 pm
Oh, I'm sorry. Were you trying to imply that all teenagers lack maturity? Because it would seem to me that a lack of maturity is all it would take for a teen to know what they were doing was wrong, and continue to do it despite the consequences. What difference does the age of a person make: if you know you are committing a crime, and you still commit it, why should your punishment be less due to your age, pray tell...
kindyxkandy BRONZE said...
on Jan. 1 2010 at 5:25 pm
Not once in my comment did I imply that the loss of a human life would be less drastic just because a teen committed the murder. And just so you know, sarcasm doesn't work on the internet, so instead of being sarcastic, make an actual point in your argument.
Karma_Chameleon SILVER said...
on Jan. 1 2010 at 2:59 pm
Of course, because if a teen of 17 years of age commits murder, the loss of human life is clearly not as drastic - the murderer was only a teen after all.
**please note the sarcasm
**please note the sarcasm
Karma_Chameleon SILVER said...
on Jan. 1 2010 at 2:57 pm
Kudos to you on this one! Steps could easily be taken to ensure that teenaged kids abide by teh laws; if we merely made a mandatory punishment, one that was guarenteed to be enforced, the rate of crime would drastically be reduced. If I wanted to smoke cigarettes, but knew that a year in juvy and a $1,000 fine were in my future, I'm putting the carton down and running! If I was a teenager considering murder, and I knew a life-sentence without parole was the lighest punishment I recieved, I'd obviously reconsider...I fail to comprehend how people do not see the logic neccessity of stricter law enforcement, and harsher punishments...
bella said...
on Dec. 3 2009 at 6:26 am
u say that teens dont get to smoke, vote or whatever until their adults YET you still see kids smoking under the age of 18? u think teens care anymore wat the law says, its beacause we let them get away that their so laid back. we all no that that saying teens arent mature enough is a load of bullshyt cuz there smart enough to knoe wat their doign so tehy can face the punisments for it too.
taters said...
on Dec. 1 2009 at 8:28 pm
i agree with this article. i am 15 and i grew up learning right from wrong in my home and also my school. and yes i think they should be tried as adults like i said but i believe there should be another prison system because i think that there are wierd people in jail and they should and dont deserve to learn more bad habits. kids mainly with siblings will keep pushing and pushing on their nerves until they are displined by there parents and i am happy there is someone there to stop them and they cant get away with it. i would feel the same with another teen rapping me, killing someone personal, or something else that servere(???) and a police, jury was there to end it and if they are punished they will know that they cant get away with it again and in juvinile hall is efficents(??) enough for more bad crimes. that is how i feel from experience and me myself sibling wise. and if the can bite off that much they better be ready to chew it
kindyxkandy BRONZE said...
on Nov. 24 2009 at 10:01 pm
Teens should not be tried as adults, they should be tried for what they are; teens. In America, until you have reached the age of eighteen, you can not smoke, buy lotto tickets, vote, or any other "perks" that come with being an adult. Why should teens only get the bad things of adulthood? Because your sixteen, and commit a crime, do you magically turn into an adult? No, your still a teen, and should be tried as such.
Adamrameau BRONZE said...
on Nov. 6 2009 at 8:14 am
i dont think teens should be tried as adults because the part of your brain that makes descions doesnt develope until you are 21 years of age and so that is why
FlyleafFreak DIAMOND said...
on Oct. 24 2009 at 5:51 pm
Now, it really depends on the scenario. If they are mentally disabled then that's a completely different scenario. I think that when you are a child you know what's right and what's wrong. I think anyone 10 and up can be tried as an adult. It does not that the mind is not fully developed, its developed enough to know what they are doing is wrong and they will be punished by it.
Aitana Libreros BRONZE said...
on Oct. 15 2009 at 8:06 pm
I think it also depends on a teens age. if the teen is from 12-15 maybe they are still learning. But either way they should know what is right or wrong
sharksrockstar said...
on Sep. 28 2009 at 5:10 pm
Many people say that the teen mind doesn't work the same as adults. This may be true, but the teen mind DOES know the consequences of murder and that should be enough. If you murder, you commit a crime. The consequences should be the same for everyone. A murder is a murder. Someone's life was lost for no reason.
lolita cagada said...
on Sep. 10 2009 at 12:22 pm
they should know it but they dont have to do the consecuences ok
stewiesgrrl said...
on Apr. 17 2009 at 9:03 pm
yes they should kmow the consequences but you gotta remember the teen mind is not fully developed until they are 26. and what if they are meantally disabled.
