Should Juveniles Be Charged as Adults in the Criminal Justice System?
Overview
This article examines whether juveniles should be prosecuted as adults within the United States criminal justice system. It traces the historical evolution of juvenile justice from the 1700s through the creation of juvenile courts in the nineteenth century, analyzing the challenges of transferring juveniles to adult courts and the effects of adult prosecution on young offenders.
What this essay covers
- Historical evolution of the criminal justice system and treatment of children from the 1700s
- Development of juvenile courts in the nineteenth century and rehabilitative programs
- State laws affecting juvenile prosecution and incarceration
- Challenges and effects of transferring juveniles to adult criminal courts
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Article Summary
The article argues whether juveniles should be charged as adults in the United States criminal justice system. The discourse starts with the evolution of the criminal justice system from the 1700s. It notes that children as young as seven years were imposed on the adult criminal justice system. This caused numerous challenges due to the lack of distinction between gender, age, and mental conditions. Eventually, the juvenile courts were created during the nineteenth century to ensure that juveniles benefited from rehabilitative programs to prevent recidivism. The prison and jail populations were mixed with those of children. Advocates for justice influenced the reformation of the criminal justice system. The author also highlights the challenges of associated transferring juveniles to adults’ courts as well as aging out of the juvenile court system. Exploring the role of states, the author gives an evaluation of the various laws that affect juvenile prosecution and incarceration in the juvenile court system. In the closing section, the author underscores the effects of being prosecuted and sentenced in the adult criminal system (Nicole, 2016).
Reference
Nicole, S. (2016). Should juveniles be charged as adults in the criminal justice system? Children Rights Litigation, 19(1), 1-6.