Kerry Griffin
Comm.172
12-10-10
Dr. Fenton Dixon
Should Teens Who Murder Be Executed? Teen Crime in America is on the up rise. In 1992, juvenile courts handled 2,500 criminal homicides and over a million cases of lesser crimes. (Boys, 2007,p.1). According to research, several disadvantages exist for teens who murder being executed. However, for the purpose of thesis essay, the writer will investigate the following: (1) community’s (2) criminal justice systems; (3), parent’s supervision; and (4) school systems. The writer’s examination is based on where crime from teens mainly takes place, and how teens are punished when doing so. First, community’s is where most teenagers are reported to commit crime due to consuming alcohol, running away, and violating curfew in the community. However, this is more likely where crime ends up taking place. Low recreational activities and law enforcement in community can also result in high crime rate. Young teens hanging with older criminals in the area can also affect crime rate. Because of the fact that older criminals can have a strong amount of peer pressure on young adults. Older criminal look at younger people because they know if they are caught in the act of a crime a teen is liable to take the charge and get less time than an adult will receive if punished. The number of youths arrested in communities for murder, robbery, rape, and assault has leaped 254% since 1960(Thompson, 1997,).
Second, criminal justice systems handle cases according on a book of law. A time sentence is based on the judge’s decision of punishment from a scale of minimum to maximum time on a charge of murder. For example, different states and countries have different punishments for murder. In America a person who commits murder is mainly sentence life in prison and sometimes even executed. Kids no longer have a free ride until the age 18. They must get the message that they will be held accountable for their actions with their names and photos published in the media. However criminal justice system handles teens accordingly to the law of that state they are located. So the above statement is just an opinion from one individual. Some criminal justice sentence gives young inmates lesser time then adults for any crime including murder. For instants a teen may commit crime at age 14 and possible up for parole at the age 24. Is this fair? “There is no such thing as a good boy or girl” ( Boys,1999, ). When teens know there punishment is not that severe they seem to commit crime because they feel like they can handle the punishment. This is cause from how the Criminal justice system for teens is set up. Next, parent’s supervision has a big cause on the crime rate for teens. Parents should teach their kids that justice will be swift, sure, and severe in the courts if not at home and school. Some parents care more about their kid’s actions then others. For instance, teens that parents are criminals can have a big affect on them also. We cannot always place the blame on parents. But the structure within the family household could determine the extent of delinquency manifested by a juvenile. Family relationships, duties, responsibilities and privileges, and the amount of control exercised over children all play roles in forming character and influencing behavior. The attitudes and actions of parents can create an important influence in the lives of children in their time of youth. Families in crisis will most likely affect the behavior of juveniles. If one member of a family becomes sick, schizophrenic, or alcoholic, a child may react based on the family’s structural problems (Berman,1990,). Psychologist Eric Berman gives a cogent description of a family in crisis and the effect on a child.7 In an article adapted from his book, Scapegoat, Berman tells how an eight-year-old boy’s personal problems and subsequent behavior resulted from an effort to repress the family’s basic problems. The juvenile courts still hold broad powers over children. These powers include the right to depart from legal procedures established for criminal courts and to deny to children and their parents privileges normally accorded defendants in civil courts. The juvenile court may, for example, consider evidence that would be inadmissible in both criminal and civil courts. The justification offered for this vast delegation of power over children is that it is essential if the court is to determine how best to rehabilitate the child and how to provide adequate care for him. Parents should pay more attention to their kid’s actions. Let them know what murder is and that they will serve time or maybe even be executed if they commit this crime. Finally, school systems play a role in teen crime also. Teaching kids about the media and what happens in it. Specifically, showing kids how people commit crimes like murder and are laid to rest from their actions. Schools that keep kid in a positive state of mind can lower the crime rate. When teens are truant, is it because they 're tired from working? Or are the classes boring, the teachers indifferent? When they skip school, where do they go, and what do they do? Years ago, students dropped out because of external causes: illness, employment, or the need to help at home. Today, personal frustration, failure, and fear are more likely to be contributing factors (Dew,1995,).
In Conclusion, several disadvantages exist for teens who murder being executed. However, for the purpose of this essay, the writer investigated the following (1) community’s;(2) criminal justices systems; (3) parents supervision, and (4) school systems. Low recreational activities and law enforcement in community can also result in high crime rate. Different states and countries have different punishments for murder. Family relationships, duties, responsibilities and privileges, and the amount of control exercised over children all play roles in forming character and influencing behavior. Schools that keep kid in a positive state of mind can lower the crime rate. In the writers opinion, research show that teens being executed is not wrong if the teens know the punishment for his or her behavior. Teens should be punish according to their actions. References
Boys, D. (2010). Should Teens be Executed. Retrieved from http://WWW.cstnews.com/bm/social-issues-facing-christians-common-sense/should-teens- be-executed.shtml
Dew, D. (1995). The Troubles Teens Face. Retrieved from http://www.diana.com/teens
Thompson, D. (1997). Should Teens Who Murder Be Executed? Retrieved from http:/www.answers.yahoo.com/question/index
References: Boys, D. (2010). Should Teens be Executed. Retrieved from http://WWW.cstnews.com/bm/social-issues-facing-christians-common-sense/should-teens- be-executed.shtml Dew, D. (1995). The Troubles Teens Face. Retrieved from http://www.diana.com/teens Thompson, D. (1997). Should Teens Who Murder Be Executed? Retrieved from http:/www.answers.yahoo.com/question/index
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