Samantha Parker

Mr. Cook
ELA
14 October 2014


I believe that violent juvenile offenders should not be punished as an adult if they have
committed violent abusive crimes.

Minors who commit crimes such as El Ponchis should receive psychiatric and
psychological treatments, instead of being tried as adults. ~ Onesimo Cepeda Silva, Obispo de
la Diocesis de Ecatepec, Estado de Mexico, (December 6, 2010). I believe that minors who
have committed the violent crimes should not be punished the way adults in the criminal justice
system do. Yes, the juvenile offenders may have created the same kind of crimes prisoners
have done but it is not necessary to treat the juvenile offenders the same way others are
treated. It is not necessary because, juvenile offenders who have committed these crimes have
most likely been treated with neglect, abandonment, or abuse, from their parents or guardians,
growing up. The police eventually caught the two suspects; one was a 17-year-old boy. He had
been abandoned by his father as a baby, neglected by his mother, and spent time in a
homeless shelter. The mistreatment of the parents to the teenager growing up could have
caused him to kill at least a dozen people which ties back to Minors who commit crimes such
as El Ponchis should receive psychiatric and psychological treatments, instead of being tried
as adults. It ties back to this quote because once one has killed they will never be the same, no
matter if they are sentenced for life in prison or not. These juvenile offenders need treatments
that could have a possible change of a better life.

After reading the article, I also believe that minors who commit these violent crimes
should not be punished and receive psychiatric and psychological treatments, instead of being
tried as adults, because being tried as an adult could cause them to become mentally insane.
This is an issue because if they were to ever be released on parole, they could commit these
same crimes again, and would not have rehabilitated their delinquents nor ever have a chance
to lead productive lives,with the criminal justice system. Through juvenile justice systems,
governments began to protect and care for children who are abused and neglected. The system
also worked to rehabilitate delinquents. The juvenile correctional facilities would help young
offenders correct their behaviors so they could lead productive lives. Furthermore, juvenile
offenders who have committed a violent act of crime should receive psychiatric and
psychological treatments, instead of being tried as adults.

He who kills like an adult should pay like an adult. ~Roy Barreros, Colombian Senator
(September 2010). The counterargument of my position would be, if a minor who has committed
a violent act of crime then he should be punished the way an adult would, if they were to act in a
violent crime. For many years, criminal justice systems treated all offenders the same way.
Adults and children accused and convicted of crimes had the same rights and faced the same
punishments. The government believed that their obligation was to protect their people and
lead them to have productive lives, so they conducted a system which was, if any aged person
committed a violent or non violent crime should have the same punishment system. Which was
to either be sentenced for life in prison, without chance of being on parole, or have a death
penalty, depending on the crime(s) that have been committed. Governments must balance their
obligation to protect society with the goal of helping young people who have broken the law
learn to live productive lives. Sometimes, that balance shifts, as one priority gains importance
over the other. Furthermore, juvenile offenders who have committed a violent act of crime
should be tried as adults.