Children Should Be Sentenced To Life Without Parole Essay

The Supreme Court of the United States of America in 2012 ruled that juveniles couldn’t be tried as juveniles and be sentenced to life without the possibility of bail, no matter how harsh the nature of the crime committed. Justice Elena Kagan argues that juveniles who commit crimes typically have a rough upbringing or unfortunate circumstances which cannot be controlled by the juvenile. She argues that if they are serving a life in prison without a chance of parole, it causes damage to them psychologically due to the lack of experiences. They will miss the most important moments in life that define who they are as an individual. Elena Kagan thought to believe that juveniles and their cases should be going to court with the consideration of age, immaturity, impetuosity, and behavioral circumstances. Approximately 2,500 juveniles have been charged with life in prison without the possibility of parole as adults before the Supreme Court ruling in 2012.

The United States of America is the only country in which juveniles are allowed to be tried as adults with life without parole. As of today, approximately 3000 minors are condemned to life without the circumstance of parole (Stevenson). Children who carry out horrendous crimes should get the deserved punishment. Juveniles should be tried as adults with life without parole but only in certain cases: depending on their motive or modus operandi, their crime, and criminal background.

There are certain instances of juveniles being tried as adults and sometimes ending up getting a life sentence without a chance of parole. I find that pretty harsh because there have been some cases where the juvenile meant no harm, they were either confused or brought along by gang members and they end up being charged along with the gang members for just being with them when a crime goes down. I believe that juveniles do not deserve to be given a life sentence because for one they are still maturing, they can learn from their mistakes and make amends, we still have to combat crimes like intended murder committed by a juvenile with extreme punishments especially if they are well over the age of 16.

Teenagers do not deserve to get life sentences because their brains are not fully developed yet. The human brain does not stop

Since a juvenile’s brain is still forming, many perform reckless acts due to their limited impulse control, decision-making, and judgement. Juveniles who commit crimes and receive life without parole should be able to have a second chance in society because teens make mistakes due to their impulse control and should not be punished for the rest of their lives for one mistake. Juveniles should be rehabilitated for the actions they do instead of

Most of these offenders are now adults and have spent most of their life in the same place. These people could have went to college and become something, like a doctor, chef, and so much more, but instead they were left sitting in a cell. These children are in the midst of still growing and learning. They need to learn from their mistakes not just sit on them their whole life. The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth states that more than eighty percent of juveniles serving life have had a past that reflected their choices. For example they might have experienced violence in their homes or in their neighborhoods. Eighty percent of the girls sentenced have been physically abused in their past. All this anger and fear left inside of then leads up to their poor actions. Children were always told that they can not change their past, but they can change thier future. Well, how are children supposed to change their future and themselves by sitting in a cell? They already know what their future looks like. I believe that their should be up to them not the

When people commit crimes, there should be disciplined no matter what. Juveniles need to learn that their behaviors have consequences. Why should kids be given any less of a punishment for committing the same crime? According to one author, “Taking a life is murder regardless of the age of the offender, and the penalties to be imposed must not discriminate. After all, the victim’s life will never be returned, and the family will permanently lose their loved one” (“7 Top Pros and Cons of Juveniles Being Tried As Adults”). When teen felons choose to act without thinking, they are putting other people’s lives at risk. They need to be charged as adults because the victims of the crimes will not be given the justice they deserve when they have to worry about that criminal harming them again. Although some people think that sending a juvenile through adult court gives them no hope, they should have given this a little thought before committing the crime. Teens need to think about the consequences and how their actions affect others before they act. When choosing between putting a violent adolescent in prison and taking the chance of letting them commit that crime again, it is most suitable to let the teen be tried as an adult and to place them in prison. Similarly, trying teens as adults will hold them accountable for their actions which will reduce the crime

Teens in particular, should not be convicted life sentences. This is because the teen may have not known what they were doing. “Children are not adults”(Ferriss) that statement is saying that children should not be sentenced like adults. That is correct because when it comes down to the science a teen does not know right from wrong yet so they should not be sentenced for life. “The rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so”(Sather and Shelat). Peer pressure is another thing that teens experience when committing the majority of their crimes. “A 14-year-old boy in the presence of his peers will often do foolish and dangerous things”(Steinberg). The sentence fragment that was quoted is further

Many people have disregarded the fact that children too can commit despicable crimes; crimes that not even adults would think about committing. Juveniles have had their era in in being able to manipulating courts to give them a lighter sentences for their so-called “mistakes”. These juveniles have made puerile excuses to try and exonerate their actions by blaming their impulses, rather than taking accountability for them. Juveniles should be tried as adults due to being aware of their crimes and having an intention to kill, however, brain development and maturity can play a role into the reason why teens kill. With being tried as an adult juveniles should be granted the opportunity of freedom pending on their rehabilitation status and if requirements

“Thump! The jury finds you guilty! Three life sentences without parole!” the young boys and girls that hear this sentence generally aren’t considered the best of kids, however locking away a juvenile for life takes much more thought than it takes to address this sentence to a legal adult. In “Locked Away Forever” by Patricia Smith the question is attempted to be answered, which is should juveniles receive life sentences without chance of parole? In the article it states, “The court said that minors who commit terrible crimes are less responsible than adults: They are less mature, more susceptible to peer pressure, and their personalities are not yet fully formed.” In this quote the author is reasoning against life without parole because they are less mature and not fully developed. Although all crimes deserve proper punishment, juveniles should not receive life without parole because they are still developing and this punishment leaves no room for a second chance

Some teens commit crimes and don't have a really good excuse on why they do it. In the article “On Punishment and Teen Killers” by Jennifer Jenkins she explains how the teenager that killed her sister, husband and her unborn child excuse of killing them was that he just wanted to “see what it would feel like to shoot someone”, which is no good excuse for what he did to this family. Another example from Jennifer's Jenkins article she states how “undeveloped brain” has nothing to do with teens committing these crimes. If an “undeveloped brain” was the case then teens would kill at roughly the same rates all over the world, which is not. Some of these teens think they can get away with some of these crimes which leads to commit more. In Jennifer's article she explains one of her case with a serial killer. His parents will fix everything whenever he got in trouble. After series of other

Good afternoon fellow classmates and Ms.Harrell, I believe that Juveniles should not be treated/sentenced like adults regardless of the crime they have committed. I believe Juveniles should get a second

In the Frontline documentary “When Kids Get Life” we are introduced to 5 cases in Colorado where teenage boys had been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Over 2,200 juveniles have been convicted of crimes and sentenced to life without parole in the 46 states of which have judicial waiver laws. Nathan Ybanez, Trevor Jones, Jacob Ind, Erik Jensen and Andrew Medina are the teenagers profiled in the documentary.

Juveniles convicted to life without parole aren't given a chance to change with rehabilitation that why it's necessary to help them so that they are able to change. In the article, "Juveniles Don't Secure Life Sentences" by Gail Garinger, explains that juveniles in the United States die in prison without even getting the help that could possibly help them change and become better people once sentenced to life in jail forever without any hope. Garinger writes, " these children were told that they could never change and that no one cared what comes of them. Denied access to education and rehabilitation programs and left without help or hope"(Par. 3, Garinger). The phrase "were told they could never change" shouldn't be what people should be hearing there should always be as a second chance for someone to change, especially a juvenile who isn't old enough to comprehend the consequences of one's action. Most believe a second chance is realizing them so they can change which isn't the truth second chance should be us helping them get the rehabilitation and education that they need to change from a person's affected from circumstances to someone realizes that they aren't alone and there are people to help him overcome his problems cause that's what good American

First of all, juveniles should not be sentenced with life in prison like adults because scientific studies confirm a strong difference between an adolescent