Transferring the juveniles to adult court is a weighty matter. It has many implications for the adolescent involved and the meaning of the justice system. The transfer of the juvenile to the adult system holds the probability of a harsher punishment. Transfer of juveniles to the adult court system is a statement that the justice system will not shelter the adolescent from harsh justice. The seriousness of the crimes committed by the juveniles necessitated the transfer of the juveniles to the adult court. This ensured that no criminals were roaming in the streets. The harmful effect of transferring the juvenile to the adult court is the possibility of longer and harsher sentences. The juveniles taken to adult courts receive harsh sentences because the judge may pass a judgment with the knowledge that the adolescent is coming from the juvenile court.
Victimization is another issue of transferring the juvenile to an adult court. The inmates or guards may subject the juveniles to sexual, physical or psychological victimization (Siegel et al, 552). The adolescents are at a higher risk of sexual and physical victimization when they are in adult facilities. The environment in the adult facilities is not conducive for a juvenile to reform.
Placing the juvenile in the adult facilities causes the disruption in the development of the juvenile. The adolescent experience disruption in the aspects of social development because they are in an environment that does not encourage physical and emotional health. The sense of self-identity is lost in the adolescent. This makes the whole process of transferring the adolescent ineffective because of the ineffective results.
The transfer of the juveniles to the adult courts reduces crime in the society because the locking up the serious offenders reduces the criminal activities by eliminating the criminals. The tough measures on juvenile crimes prevent criminal activities in the future. The juveniles transferred to the adult court will in the future refrain from committing crimes because they know that the justice system will impose on them harsh penalty. The other adolescents although not transferred to the adult systems are aware of the tough penalties. This makes them to refrain from committing crimes in the future.
The minor’s crime account is important because it allows the minor to get a fair trial. The adolescents will not repeat the crime if they are held accountable of their crimes. This is because the corrective measures applied to the minor will deter him/her from committing crimes in the future.
Works cited
Siegel, Larry J, Brandon Welsh, and Joseph J. Senna. Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2006. Print.
