The notion that teens should be tried as adults for the adult crimes they commit has taken root in the country with some state adopted legislation to that effect. While the proponents of trying teens as adults are passionate about the reasons why it should be done, studies have shown that trying teens as adults only breeds more hardcore criminals once the they complete their sentences. While I agree that justice must be seen to be done especially from the aggrieved party’s perspective, it is imperative upon the state to ensure that the justice system does not become the manufacturer of hardcore criminals. Therefore, teens should not be tried as adults since doing so increases their chances of becoming hardcore criminals.
When tried in adult courts, the teens do not necessary receive stricter sentencing than they would get in the juvenile courts. Those who are pushing for teens to be tried in the courts assume that offenders will receive harsher punishment than they would get in juvenile courts. However, studies have shown that while teens in adult courts receive harsher sentences than those in juvenile courts, they do not serve the whole term. According to Frontline’s article “Juvenile Justice”, those sentenced in adult courts serve as little as 27 percent of the period sentenced, which is shorter than those sentenced in Juvenile courts serve. Therefore, for those who propose that teens should be tried in adult courts so that justice can be seen to be done, they are holding onto a fallacy. The truth is that those who are sentenced in juvenile courts receive and serve harsher sentences than those tried in adult courts.
Further, studies have shown that the threat of harsher sentencing in adult courts do not reduce the rate of crime committed by teens. Most of the people who propose that teens should be tried in adult courts argue that the threat of such sentencing would reduce the rate of crime among the teens (Stimson, “Adult Punishments for Juveniles”). However, studies conducted in different states that have adopted such legislation have shown that the rate of teen crime does not change (PBS, “Juvenile Justice”). The studies quoted by PBS show that teen crime before and after the adoption of legislation did not change the rate of teen crime. Therefore, threatening teens with harsher sentencing will not lower their propensity to engage in crime.
There are some cases in which teens may be referred to the adult court for sentencing. A case in point is the Sarah Johnson case in 2003 cited by Stimson in his article “Adult Punishment for Juveniles.” In cases where the sentence may be life in prison, it would be better to be dealt with in the adult court; however, such cases are rare and far apart. Most cases involving teens do not attract life sentences hence the teens will have to come out at some point. In such cases, which are the majority, the teens who are sentenced in the adult courts tend to serve lesser time than those sentenced in juvenile systems. In addition, those who come out from incarceration tend to commit a crime soon after, and with a higher degree of severity. Only in cases where teens are faced with a clear possibility of life imprisonment should they be referred to the adult courts. Otherwise, the juvenile system would be the best option.
As we grapple with the idea of punishing or rehabilitating the teens, it is important to note that no form of punishment can undo what has already been done. The best we, as a society, can do is to ensure that those who commit crime understand their mistakes and choose not to do that again. By taking the teens through the juvenile justice system, they are rehabilitated, and most of them do not fall back to crime. There is a sharp contrast with those who undergo the adult court system; they are almost certainly guaranteed to go back to more violent crime. Let’s make our justice system a crime deterrent and rehabilitation system other than a factory for criminals. Let’s protect our teens from the adult court system.
Work Cited
"Juvenile Justice." PBS. PBS. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/juvenile/stats/kidslikeadults.html>.
Stimson, Charles D. "Adult Punishments for Juveniles." New York Times. New York Times, 5 June 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/06/05/when-to-punish-a-young-offender- and-when-to-rehabilitate/adult-punishments-for-juveniles>.
