Senior Project Research Paper

Basenese 1
Kayla Basenese
Mrs. Harrell
English IV Honors
7 November 2014
Research Paper
Imagine the pain one goes through when a loved one is seriously harmed; imagine if that
person was you. Thousands of people feel this very pain across the nation every year, with the
increasing number of violent juvenile crimes. About a hundred years ago, a separate justice
system was created for those who are 18 years old and younger, known as the juvenile justice
system. This system is indeed outdated, and needs a reform. Within the last 15 years, the nation
has been dealing with a very complex moral issue: should children who commit violent crimes
be treated as adults? Although they should be individually determined, juvenile offenders who
commit violent crimes should be tried as adults.
Many teens who have committed violent crimes have shown early signs of violence before the
crime was committed. This violence can come from serious and traumatic events that may have
happened in his/her life. Therefore, if one approaches a teen who shows these signs, it can be
stopped before serious damage is done. Some of these signs include aggressive behavior, antisocial behavior, and behavioral problems at home, school, or the community (Dent and Jowitt
92). The rehabilitation part of the juvenile justice system can be provided for the children who
fall into this category who may have already committed minor crimes; it gives them an
opportunity to turn their lives around. A history of any family dysfunction can also lead to
aggression in young people. In order to prevent juveniles from acting in this way, a detailed
analysis should take place. It is strongly emphasized that an understanding of the background
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characteristics and life experiences of serious sexual offenders and other violent young offenders
should critically inform all assessments and predictions of risk (Dent and Jowitt 91).
Today, more children than ever before are being tried as adults when they commit any
type of crime. In 1996, more than half the cases sent to adult court were for drug or property
offenses (Miller 1). In order to prevent this, the juvenile justice system should be adjusted so that
only violent juvenile offenders acquire harsh punishments. There is only so much one can do to
prevent an adolescent from becoming violent, rehabilitation centers are not always proven to
work as effectively for violent children. However, rehabilitation for not-so-serious crimes like
drug and property offenses, make it more likely for the child to change his/her behavior. Studies
show that today 8 out of 10 registered voters believe that juveniles who commit violent crimes
should be tried as adults (Miller 1). This shows that the American people have a growing fear
that violent crimes cant be handled by the juvenile justice system. When the public is put in
danger and lives are at risk, something needs to be done. Juveniles should be held accountable
for their crimes, but the punishment given should match the crime committed, and steps can be
taken before to prevent juveniles from entering the adult system.
Dealing with juvenile offenders is all about smart sentencing, individualization is key.
Each young offender should be looked at individually, and decided on when its appropriate to
send a kid to an adult system. Violent juvenile crimes in the last 15 years have become more
likely to happen, and accountability needs to be addressed. 14 year old Nathaniel Brazill shot and
killed his 35 year old English teacher Barry Grunow, thats an extreme act of violence and
should be treated differently than a minor crime like a drug offense. It should be decided on
whether or not, based on who he is, what he's done, what the circumstances were of the offense,
and his background and his chances for being turned around--whether the juvenile justice system
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can turn him around and hold him accountable and punish him appropriately (Williams 2). Some
changes to the system have taken place within the last 5 or 6 years, many states have been
enacted more laws to strengthen the penalties for children who commit violent crimes. Even
though these changes have taken place, there is still many juvenile offenders who are not dealt
with adequately.
In conclusion, even though adolescents are able to change through rehabilitation, public
safety needs to be protected and ensured so that the people of society feel safe and for those who
commit violent crimes are dealt with appropriately. Violent juvenile offenders that commit
serious crimes should be tried as adults.

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Basenese 1

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