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Don't Try Teenagers in Adult Courts!
Have you ever done anything risky,
dangerous or even illegal? Most of us have probably done at least
one thing in our lives - most likely during our teenage years -
that bordered on the edge of legality. As teenagers, we probably
did not consider the long-term consequences of our actions; we were
just out trying to have a good time, to be accepted by our peers.
Imagine, for example, that after attending a party and being only
"mildly intoxicated," you decide to drive home. While driving, you
fall asleep and accidentally kill another driver. If caught, tried
and sentenced as an adult - as many today believe is appropriate
- you might end up spending many years in prison, exposed to dangerous,
hardened criminals three times your age. This one poor decision,
and all your hopes and plans for a productive and meaningful life
are wasted! How many young lives need to be destroyed before society
realizes that sentencing teenagers as adults is inappropriate and
excessive in a just society? Teenagers do not have the same intellectual
or emotional capabilities as adults. Furthermore, serving sentences
in adult prisons is dangerous both to society and the young offender.
Finally, the juvenile justice system is the appropriate place to
try juvenile offenders. For these reasons, we
should protect teenagers from the criminal justice system.
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