Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Arlayna Deese
Mrs. DeBock
English 4 Honors
Essential Question: Should age matter when a juvenile is being tried for a crime they committed?
Working Thesis: If a juvenile is capable of committing a heinous crime then they should be tried
Refined Thesis: Juveniles who commit heinous crimes should be tried as an adult and be held
Annotated Bibliography
Newton, Heather "In Some Situations, Teens Should Be Tried as Adults." Points of View
Reference
In this article the author, Heather Newton, states his opinion on how teens should be held
responsible for their actions and in some instances should be tried as an adult for the crimes they
are presumed guilty for. In one instance Christopher Simmons, the age of seventeen, was a junior
in high school. He had convinced two of his friends to break into a house, stage a robbery, tie
them up and then throw them off a bridge. Simmons and his accomplice believed since they were
under the age of eighteen they would not be tired as an adult and get away with the crime.
Untimely, Simmons was sentenced to death after the jury considered the factors especially his
age. Newtons article will provide a real life example of how heinous and violent crimes that are
Makar, Scott D. "Does Sentencing a 13-year-old Offender to Life Without Parole Constitute
Scott Makars article tells a real life story about Joe Sullivan, who was convicted
of rape and robbery of a 72-year-old woman. At just thirteen years old Sullivan was sentenced to
life in prison without parole. He challenged the court saying his sentence violates the eighth
amendment, cruel and unusual punishment. The repeal for his conviction was denied resulting in
a great deal of controversy regarding the courts decision. There have been many other cases
similar to Sullivans in which juvenile offenders were given a life sentence and charged as an
adult for their heinous crimes. Young adults that commit a certain crime like sexual assault and
murder should be tried as an adult disregarding their age. Markars claims in this article will
support how sentencing a juvenile to life without parole is not a violation of their rights.
Backstrom, James C. "The Criminal Justice System Should Treat Some Juveniles as Adults."
In this article the author, James Backstrom, shares his opinion on how juveniles should be
rightfully convicted for violent crimes they are found guilty of. Being able to prosecute an
adolescent for a violent crime as an adult is what Backstrom believes is best for public safety and
holds the juvenile responsible for his or hers actions. There are very few cases in which young
teens are prosecuted as an adult, but for more serious and violent offenses they should face
harsher consequences for their actions. Prosecutors take into consideration age, maturity and
previous crimes dealing with juvenile cases. The author states that he feels teens know right from
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wrong and should be held accountable for their actions. This article supports my position that
youth should be held responsible for their wrongful doings and be tried as an adult if necessary
Wendy Murphys article is a viewpoint on how she believes juvenile convictions should
be handled. Convictions should be rooted in facts not a stereotypical belief that a sweet-faced
15-year-old is not capable of killing another human being. Many people have a soft spot for
younger children who commit crimes and are more likely to blame their actions on bad
parenting. But, a soft spot is not the same thing as a pass. When kids commit a crime they do not
need the legal system to act like their actions are no big deal. In multiple states life without
parole is set as the maximum punishment for a juvenile offender. Life without parole is
appropriate in cases for adolescents who know exactly what they did wrong. Murphy states
teens should do adult time for adult crimes and not be overlooked simply because of their age.
Murphys article supports my view on how youth should be punished based on their actions not
Collier, Linda J. "More Teenage Criminals Should Be Tried as Adults." Opposing Viewpoints in
In this article the author, Linda Collier, expresses her judgement on children who
knowingly engage in adult conduct and adult crimes should automatically be subject to adult
rules and adult prison time. Violent crimes committed by teens are rising and many view
offenders under eighteen are to be treated not punished. Juveniles are now more likely to be
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perpetrators of serious and deadly crimes like assault, rape and murder. Courts are regarding
felons as children first and criminals second. Collier says the juvenile court system needs to be
revamped and establish a uniform minimum age for trying juveniles as adults. This article
supports my thesis that youth should be held accountable for their actions if it is a serious and
violent crime.
Backstrom, James C. "Tough Juvenile Justice Policies Reduce Crime by Holding Juveniles
James Backstroms article states youth violence programs are protecting public safety by
holding juveniles accountable. Juvenile codes have not been overly harsh, but instead beneficial
to public safety by holding youth accountable for their crimes and rehabilitating offenders. In
certain places, like Jacksonville, Florida, there are programs for juvenile incarceration that
focuses on education and rehabilitation. Courts, prosecutors and judges believe in fairness and
enforcing juvenile codes. Prosecutors and judges from all over the country have taken factors
including age, maturity, severity of the crime and threat to public safety into consideration when
sentencing a minor. These factors are properly weighed in the decision process and as a result
Americas juvenile justice system is balanced and not in need of reform. Backstroms article will
provide how the justice system deals with juvenile convictions and what factors they take into
consideration.
Stimson, Charles D., and Andrew M. Grossman. "Life Without Parole in the Adult System Is
Reasonable for Some Juvenile Offenders." Opposing Viewpoints, 2010. Web. 8 Mar. 2017.