Teens Tried as Adults?

[BetteDavisEyes]

I can't find the link to the stories so I'll make it brief.

In Anaheim, California, a 14 year old male was arrested for the brutal kidnapping, assault, and rape of at least 4 victims. He is to be tried as an adult if the D.A. gets his way.

In another case, 4 Caucasian teenage males were arrested for severely beating and attacking a African-American male. They are being charged with assault and a hate crime b/c of the racial slurs they were heard screaming by witnesses.

What do you guys think? Should teens be tried as adults for the crimes they commit?

I think they should depending on the severity of the crime. Rape, murder, assault, etc. are definitely crimes that should be tried in adult court.

[AKA_Monet]

On the one hand, I totally agree with you. If you commit the crime, you must do the time... Adult punishment for adult crimes...

On the other hand, if you incarcerate teens with criminal adults, I believe the studies show that it is nearly impossible to rehabilitate any teenager who commited any kind of crime, severe or not...

And most teens that commit heinious crimes usually have severe mental disorders that are left untreated or undiagnosed (i.e. psychosis, schizophrenia, physical or sexual abuse issues, etc.), which may be an infringement with the mental disabilities act--but that may only be for capital punishments... I am not a lawyer.

However, adults who also commit similar heinious crimes have severe mental disorders that are also untreated or undiagnosed... So that arguement alone is weak...

But children--and teens under 18 are legally still children in this country--are thought not to be responsible for their actions.

Your questions really create a dilemma, huh?

So for me, individual assessment of the crime and judging each case would be critical. But that's my opinion.

Originally posted by BetteDavisEyes
I can't find the link to the stories so I'll make it brief.

In Anaheim, California, a 14 year old male was arrested for the brutal kidnapping, assault, and rape of at least 4 victims. He is to be tried as an adult if the D.A. gets his way.

In another case, 4 Caucasian teenage males were arrested for severely beating and attacking a African-American male. They are being charged with assault and a hate crime b/c of the racial slurs they were heard screaming by witnesses.

What do you guys think? Should teens be tried as adults for the crimes they commit?

I think they should depending on the severity of the crime. Rape, murder, assault, etc. are definitely crimes that should be tried in adult court.

[PhiPsiRuss]

I don't think that teens understand the ethics associated with laws about white collar crimes, but they are almost never in a position to violate those laws.

When it comes to murder or rape, I have no problem with treating pre-teens as adults.

[honeychile]

I absolutely hate to say this, but I think we need a third "tier" of the penal system. I hate the idea of putting a teenaged violent criminal into the adult penal system, because it's just going to teach him how to be a "better", more violent criminal. Yet, they have no business being in juvenile detention with runaways and such.

AND, it should also be run in a way to make it uncomfortable enough to not want to return!

[midwesterngirl]

Originally posted by BetteDavisEyes
I can't find the link to the stories so I'll make it brief.

In Anaheim, California, a 14 year old male was arrested for the brutal kidnapping, assault, and rape of at least 4 victims. He is to be tried as an adult if the D.A. gets his way.

.

I'm going to play armchair psychiatrist for a moment just for this particular case.If this young man has committed at least 4 violent rapes and kidnappings at 14,what are the chances that he will be able to be rehabilitated?Violent sex offenders generally are not "cured".Usually these sorts of acts are tied in with who the offenders are sexually.I think often it goes beyond mental illness. Once again,I am not a doctor,just an avid true crime reader.
While I agree adult prison probably isn't the answer,what do we do with him?(Thats a genuine question ,not sarcasm.) We certainly couldn't put him with other juveniles.He is going to be a danger where ever he goes.

[_Opi_]

On a case by case basis.

[James]

No. We shouldn't.

There is an imagianry line that seperates adulthood from childhood. We can't keep moving that around to fit people's agendas or sense of horror.

With tose female teachers sleeping with their 14 and 15 year old male students . . why can't the boys be considered adult if they are willing participants?

These kind of rules are punishment oriented and also differentially applied.

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by James
No. We shouldn't.

There is an imagianry line that seperates adulthood from childhood. We can't keep moving that around to fit people's agendas or sense of horror.

With tose female teachers sleeping with their 14 and 15 year old male students . . why can't the boys be considered adult if they are willing participants?

These kind of rules are punishment oriented and also differentially applied.

Agreed. Kids are kids and should be treated as such.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by valkyrie
Agreed. Kids are kids and should be treated as such.

So a kid who is a rapist should simply be treated as a kid, with no regard to the recidivism rate among sexual predators?

[DeltAlum]

While I think psychology is inexact at best, if a minor is deemed mature enough to understand the nature of the crime and the crime itself is bad enough, the minor should be tried as an adult.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

A teenager went on a sex attack crime spree in NY a few days ago. He sodomized, beat, and robbed a woman. He attacked two other women a few hours later including a woman he kicked in the head multiple times when she refused to take him up to her apartment for sex. According to the article, "He was charged as an adult, but will be sentenced as a juvenile if convicted."

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/...eadlines-crime

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-222663c.html

The teen is 14. If he hadn't been caught, I think that he probably would have attacked even more women.

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
So a kid who is a rapist should simply be treated as a kid, with no regard to the recidivism rate among sexual predators?

Yes. I'm not saying set him free and let him wander the streets -- there are procedures in place that provide for juvenile offenders. I find it incredibly self serving that kids are treated as adults when they do something terribly wrong and at no other time.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by valkyrie
Yes. I'm not saying set him free and let him wander the streets -- there are procedures in place that provide for juvenile offenders. I find it incredibly self serving that kids are treated as adults when they do something terribly wrong and at no other time.

I diagree with this. I believe that public safety should be factored into these decisions.

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
I diagree with this. I believe that public safety should be factored into these decisions.

Can you explain how public safety is negatively affected as a result of trying kids as juveniles instead of adults? I'm not trying to be a smartass -- I'm actually curious.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by valkyrie
Can you explain how public safety is negatively affected as a result of trying kids as juveniles instead of adults? I'm not trying to be a smartass -- I'm actually curious.

I'm assuming that the sentences are different, and I'm refering to crimes like sexual assault. The recidivism rate is so piss-poor that I believe that those who are convicted should be locked up for as long as possible. If trying a rapist as a juvenile means that he'll be released sooner, then it affects public safety.

For crimes that don't affect public safety, and have a recividism rate that is more favorable than a coin flip, try the kid as a juvenile.