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Karley Tarachanowicz

Mrs. Sanchez

ERWC

28 February 2017

Juveniles Treated With Respect

The idea is not to remove children from the courts system completely but to reform the

current way so we can reproduce and release more sustained humans in society. Juveniles should

receive life with parole for murder because it violates the 8th amendment, demonstrates cruel

and unusual punishment, and not one person can distinguish its precedent.

Some may argue juveniles should get life with parole because it proves justice, and if a

person is capable of committing that crime they should be punished for it. In the New York

Times article Greg Ousley Is Sorry for Killing His Parents, Scott Anderson writes about a child

named Greg who got sentenced for life as a young juvenile was showing signs of mental illness

prior to the event that set him behind bars for life. Because the young adult was suffering from

this disease he was not coherent and in control of his actions (Anderson 49). According to the

same New York Times article, Criminologists believe that an abused juvenile who killed a

parent is likely to be low risk of future criminality if he gets treatment (Anderson 104). Because

of the low risk, they should release them back after getting the correct diagnosis and treatment.

According to the article, Punishment and Teen Killers by Jennifer Jenkins, people in america

make it extremely accessible for the youth to have possession of weapons (Jenkins 49). The

children today are being raised and brought up in violence-loving cultures (Jenkins 49).
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The action upon convicting a juvenile violates the human rights of each citizen and

inflicts unusual punishment on children. In the MSNBC documentary a child interviewed never

had a run in with the law he received a 30 year sentence with possible probation. Since being

incarcerated he has realized that every choice has a repercussion he is being held on conspiracy

charges. The documentary also talked about an inmate named Michael Stanley, he is serving 3

years for robbery. Since he is only 17 he will continue the rest of hs sentence in the adult prison.

The courts take lives and opportunities away from the youth without considering what may

happen to them inside of prison. According to the documentary MSNBC, Youths tried in adult

criminal court generally have higher recidivism rates after release than those tried in juvenile

court. The idea of inflicting life punishment is cruel and sets the youth on a path to failure.

The cruel and unusual punishment includes a punishment that is too severe for the crime

committed according to the CA JJR Report, of juveniles tried in adult court 88% of them were

convicted once they were sent to adult prison (Harris 50). The article also states, regardless of

gender, age, race, and ethnicity juveniles in adult court were convicted in a majority of cases

(Harris 50). When getting placed in adult prison many of the juveniles who committed

misdemeanors were mixed in with actual criminalized adults. In the article, Juveniles Dont

Deserve Life Sentences it states that, because young juveniles are more susceptible to the

environment around them, it makes it more difficult for them to escape out of pressured

situations (Garinger 1). The youth who are still developing should not be charged the same way

that a fully developed adult is.

The determination of nature of circumstances of a crime, prior history, and need to

protect public are all factors used in deciding how harsh a person is convicted. It is one of the
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most unfair rules because each judge and each perception of crime is different. According to the

documentary 15 to Life Kenneth's Story, The United States is the only country in the entire

world that condemns juveniles to life without parole (Pequeneza). Kenneth now 26 years old is

serving his life sentence in adult prison. He started serving his time in juvenile prison then he

was transferred over, he has shown improvement and remarkable remorse (Pequeneza).

According to the same documentary, 60% of children sentenced to life without parole are first

time offenders (Pequeneza). The first offence that they run into and they lock them away for

life.

Juveniles should not be ruled as adults and should be allowed life with parole. Their

crimes are based on a single event while it is unusual punishment inflicted, severity in the

discipline and the unfair judgment of circumstances.

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Works Cited

Anderson, Scott. "Greg Ousley Is Sorry for Killing His Parents. Is That Enough?" The New York

Times. The New York Times, 21 July 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Harris, Kamala D. "Juvenile Justice in California." California Department of Justice, 2015.

Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.

Garinger, Gail. "Juveniles Dont Deserve Life Sentences." The New York Times. The New York

Times, 14 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Jenkins, Jennifer. "Jennifer Bishop Jenkins On Punishment and Teen Killers." Juvenile Justice v

Information Exchange. N.p., 06 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Pequeneza, Nadine, Director. 15 to Life: Kenneth's Story. Produced by Nadine Pequeneza,

Hitplay Productions, 2014. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.

Young Kids, Hard Time. Produced by MSNBC 2011. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.