Should 'justice' treat children like adults?

I read about this the other day, and frankly it disgusts me.

Ignoring the fact that the boy didn't actually kill anyone, should we really be treating children in the justice system as adults?

Putting a child away in prison for 55 years means there will never be a chance for them to redeem themselves or live a better life. It is possible he could die in prison.

Should we treating children like adults in 'justice'?

Based on what some totjo americans have said in the past, I think it'd be best if no-one ever got treated in any way by "justice" over there.

It is my opinion however that these "children" are no more deserving of a good life than a 30 year old burglar. This isn't exactly one of those cases where we have toddlers shooting their own parents dead. They knew what they were doing, they knew the risks (it's not like shootings are rare in america), and all should be equal before the law, even when the law is stupid.


I wonder how many in that "jury of their peers" will be underage ?

This is disgusting, but in my opinion it's from the angle of being guilty of murder without actually killing anyone.

A number of the people involved were adults anyway and the 16 year old seems competent enough to be tried as an adult (children in UK law are generally treated like adults in other areas of the law)

I agree with ren in that they deserve to have a punishment, but this is completely disproportionate to the actual crime he committed. This would not happen in the UK and for once I appreciate our laws

I am surprised that he was found guilty given the wording of that law though. Just stupidity!

"Children" and "Kid" .... This boy and I'm sure his friends is 16 years old in this article. By far no Child or kid, but a young adult very much aware of the Moral Rightness and Consequences of actions.

....facing the prospect of spending most of the rest of his life in a prison cell for a murder that he did not commit

But he was there. He took part in it. He had the ability and choice to alert authorities against his friends actions. He had ability and choice to not attend the act. He had just as much choice and freedom to that choice as any other adult young or old would have. Just because he he didn't pull the trigger, dosn't mean he is free of crime. He aided in the breaking of laws and lost.

Now it is time to serve the consequences and responsibility of he choices.

Law. Is never good. Is never Fair. Such is the nature of things that are set in stone and made un-movable.

A lifetime in prison? No perhaps not. 1. It's a waist of tax money....Mine and yours. 2. He wont learn anything from it 3. It does not match with his crimes 4. The law system is lazy and incompetent, uncaring of the education of young people, only the pickings of ripe and rotten apples.

In the end. My answer is that...at age 16 years old...he is no longer saved by the "Just a kid" card.

i am an american firstly...and that is a stupid law...he should be charged with burglary, breaking and entering...nothing more...the homeowner (who was defending himself) was the one that killed...(again no charge should be made against the homeowner as it was his home)...

children are much smarter than adults give them credit for, and are frequently underestimated...at 6 years old my nephew understood right from wrong thoroughly...so yes if a child commits an adult crime, they should face the same consequences. murder is murder whether committed by a 6 year old or a 60 year old...

mental evaluations should be used to determine competency of course...

in the navy the best piece of advice we got in bootcamp was "where ever you go, always learn and understand the laws"

I can see what they were trying to accomplish in writing that law. Those laws are written so that the person(s) committing the felony are charged with the death because ultimately it's their fault it happened. Had they not broken in then that other man wouldn't be dead now. That said, sending that man away for murder is stupid. Burglary most definitely, even he admits that, but not murder.

Maybe some sort of 'felony manslaughter' charge should be created. Like I said, it is their fault it happened but they didn't intend for that to happen. I feel like that's a better fit.

As far as treating him like an adult goes, do it. I feel like not trying people as adults gives teenagers this sense of "well I won't get in that much trouble because I'm not an adult yet." That feeling needs to be stopped, their actions have just as many consequences as those of adults. Like Ryujin said, kids are smart. They know things are wrong, they just don't care sometimes.

While "the punishment doenst always fit the crime", I agree with the charges... Maybe not his punishment... Let him plea to "accomplice", or something....

Adding my thoughts to the previous two posts...

Wanna act like an adult? Accept responsibility as one... They went in as a group... What if they found him (the shooter) sleeping? Would they have beat him up? Killed him? Raped him? How do we know? They were responsible for each other, and him more than others as he invited others... Safety in numbers if caught? They could overpower the homeowner? They instigated, and took their life in their hands...

One hour before that, if you would have ask the kid if he would break into the house, he might have said "maybe"... Two days before, he mighta said, "I dunno, why?"... A year before that, "No, of course not, I got a job"... And 5 years before that, he might have said, "NO WAY!!", cause what 11 year old thinks stealing is a good idea (there are some, sure, but not most I would hope)...

For this to have a wider impact, and become more than a waste of resources, make his story told... Dont let this go to waste...

100 years ago, he would have been an adult... He would have had a job, and been out of school...

50 years ago, the 'legal age' was made 18... http://www.answers.com/Q/When_did_18_become_the_legal_age_in_the_US

This poor kid is the one, (as well as others everywhere, I know this) who are serving as the example... And showing that at some point, the 'just a kid' card stops...

I have a 40 year old sister, still living at home with my mom... Few bills, few responsibilities, she shoves more than she should off on my mom... Is she an adult? Why? She lives at home, and has little responsibility... She doesnt clean up after her own dogs most of the time, and can seldom be bothered to help around the house... My 15 year old does more to help us, than my 40+ year old sister does to help my mom... Seems that way, lol...

We have created a society that is keeping children as children for longer and longer times... Becasue we are scared for them, becasue they dont know what is going to happen to them, they dont know what they are doing... Or, they are just too scared/lazy to be on their own...

16 isnt old enough to be responsible? probably should not issue them drivers licenses then, WAYY more dangerous...

Is an 18 year old responsible? Why? did 18 'click a switch'? I guess they can vote and join the army, right?

How about 21? Cannot drive a semi, drink alcohol, or own a gun until that age, is that old enough?

How about 35? cant be the President until 35, is that worldly enough?

These numbers are as arbitrary as anything written... The minute you 'write it down' it begins to become old, and outdated...

It all breaks down to the individual case... Defending these lines is stupid on a case by case basis...

If any of you think that the law is always right, let me know... We can discuss that in another thread... lol...

Just my thoughts, lol... And I have been wrong before, lol...

What if they found him (the shooter) sleeping? Would they have beat him up? Killed him? Raped him? How do we know? They were responsible for each other, and him more than others as he invited others... Safety in numbers if caught? They could overpower the homeowner? They instigated, and took their life in their hands

You can't punish an if though.

We have created a society that is keeping children as children for longer

Honestly, I feel like the opposite is the true. We force adult expectations on children from younger and younger an age... blame media, society, schools, whatever.

most laws are a matter of profit for the state...otherwise there wouldn't be so many of them with financial punishments...the jails get paid based on population...and privatized jails...even worse...the more things that are illegal the higher the profitability of the court and jail systems...

in "minority report" people were charged with crimes they didn't commit, but were going to...punishment for something you didn't do...thinking about doing something wrong is not the same as actually doing something wrong...thoughts should not be punished actions should be...

had the kid and/or his friends caused harm to the homeowner, then they should be charged accordingly...in this case though they only brought harm upon themselves...

it's kind of like the burglar that sues the homeowner because the homeowner's dog mauled the burglar...

Edan wrote:

We have created a society that is keeping children as children for longer

Honestly, I feel like the opposite is the true. We force adult expectations on children from younger and younger an age... blame media, society, schools, whatever.

i think both aspects are correct...to a point...

a few hundred years ago 12-14 was marrying and child bearing age(in some cases still is)...things typically viewed as "adult"...back then 14-16 year old boys were sent off to the battlefields...

each person is different, some mature sooner than others and are ready for adult treatment some are not