Miguel Navarro Case Study

Miguel Navarro was 15 years old, a Hispanic male teenager, who was involved in a group fight at a party with his brother in Katy, Texas in December 2007. Navarro told the police he and his brother were subjected to racist abuse and they were violently attacked by other males. Navarro stabbed a 20 years old male during the fight, who later died at the hospital. He was arrested and tried as an adult and was sentenced to 99 years in prison.

1-Factors in Navarro’s upbringing that had an impact on the crime he committed;

I believe that poverty, home environment, substance abuse, and education level played a big role in the crime committed by Miguel Navarro. He comes from a low-income family where he experiences stressors such as hunger, inadequate healthcare, and housing. Navarro grew up in a household where police were often called for domestic violence disputes. Navarro was believed to have a 4th-grade level in education even though he was 15 at the time. The lack of education opportunities for juveniles can lead to criminal activities and a negative mindset. Navarro committed his crime at the party where alcohol and drugs were consumed by partygoers. Consumption or abuse of drugs has an impact on juveniles’ decision-making and impulse control.

What is ethical to try the youth as an adult?

In my personal opinion, I think juveniles should not be tried as an adult. However, in most cases, it is up to the court system to determine if the juvenile should be tried as an adult or not based on the specific circumstances and the severity of the crime committed. I believed that juveniles are not fully capable to understand their actions and should be given an opportunity to rehabilitate instead of being punished as adults.

3- Do you believe the CJ system failed the youth? What sentence would you have