sentencing a juvenile!

[ladycasshmere]

If a juvenile teenager that is like around 15,16 commits murder do you feel that he or she should be tried as an adult if their motive was intentionally to kill someone and it is prooven.Personally I feel that at that age you know right from wrong and the consequences of such an act and should be tried as an adult.Do you agree or disagree?

[marieelissa]

No they should be tried as 15 and 16 year olds. I mean if they can try you as an adult then shouldn't you be granted the same rights as adults as well? You know buy ciggerettes and so on.

[diala84]

I believe the sentence should be more harsh than that of a young child but not as severe as an adult. The Frontal Lobe of the brain responsible for decision making is still developing and growing that is why teenagers can make such poor decisions like driving drunk, vandalizing, inability to express themselves fully, etc.. It is not fair to try them as adults while they are still developing their sense of right and wrong.

[animikokala]

I see nothing wrong with a teenager who knowingly and intentionally commits murder (without mitigating circumstances) being tried as an adult.  The frontal lobe may not be fully developed, but it's developed enough that they know that murder is wrong.  This isn't a poor decision on par with petty crimes, this is choosing to take the life of another human being.  Now if the teenager has a condition that has hampered their development, then a lesser sentence is understandable. 

[irishlady1970]

I think the punishment for murder should be the same for a 15 year old as for a 50 year old. At 15 the brain is developed enough to know the difference between right and wrong, and they definitely know that killing a person is wrong. The consequences need to suit the crime and in my opinion, life in prison is well suited to the young murderer. They can sit in prison and think about what they did and how they destroyed the lives of everyone they touched. There is no excuse for murder and any excuse given is just a cop-out.

[ladycasshmere]

I forgot to add that yes it would be different and I can see if the teen has some type of mental illness that impairs their judgement then the sentencing would be alot more lenient and geared toward getting them help.On another note you must take notice to the fact that alot of people be it teenager or adults that commit such a cruel act of a violence and gets light sentencing are the ones that usually kill again and once alife is gone you can never get that back and they are old enough to understand that!

[sigmapi1501]

No. We should just ground them.  No tv.

[dell9031]

hmmmm...unless in act of war or self-defense you commit murder....you should be removed from the gene pool.

[reneabingham]

RIGHT ON!

[Shahrukhlover]

They should be tried as a minor because that's what they are.  I hate how laws restrict the rights of minors because they're too young.  However, when it comes to crime, it's okay to treat them like adults.  That's totally unfair!

[cnoel]

Anyone of any age who had the gumption, knowledge and desire to commit cold blooded murder should be trialed as an adult.
They may not be able to buy smokes or drink, but they can behave like adults from marriage to having children.

[gesus]

Ha 15 or 16 its a WRAP ! lol , if they commit muder or be a accomplice in one , theyre already throwing the book at em , so its pretty much going to the old days of the courts today in some states , i mean why not , half of these kids out here THINK they need to proove themselevs then the rest were in the wrong place in the wrong time

[Brichmon]

lock and throw away the key lol , if the kid knows what their doing then hey it is what it is at the end of the day , everyone was a teen once , so by that age we think we know everything ,  and exposed to alot of things , today they want to live fast , and when they do they crash and burn

[careykln]

If that teenager is carrying a gun and acting like he is grown then yes he deserves to be sentenced as an adult.  I totally think they deserve the same punishment that an adult would being that the kid is acting like a teenager.