Individuals under age 14 charged with crimes should not be tried as adults

Individuals Under the Age of 14 Charged with Crimes should not be Tried as Adults Increases in the number of violent juvenile crimes encouraged many states to adjust and modify established laws so that young offenders could be tried in court and charged as adults for serious crimes committed . In the year 1997 , the House of Representatives had passed the Juvenile Crime Control Act . The passing and effectiveness of this provision would make it easier to allow the trial of juveniles as adults in the Federal system (Deborah Smereczynsky , 2000

Numerous young

law violators - predominantly those under the age of 14 must not be regarded as appropriate subjects for criminal prosecution

The Mitigating Circumstances

The age of the defendant at the time of the crime should be considered as a mitigating factor to take into account in charging and trying young offenders less than 14 years old who committed grave and serious crimes

Mitigating factors or circumstances do not necessarily justify or excuse an offense of a crime committed . However , it may reduce and trim down the ruthlessness of a charge bestowed upon a young law violator

Correspondingly , the recognition and credit of mitigating circumstances to diminish the harm and damage done does not necessarily mean and imply that the harms and damages were not suffered . In this case , the harms and damages have only been ameliorated to some extent

In such criminal cases where the death penalty may be imposed on youth offenders , the Supreme Court has held certain conditions to ponder upon by the juries . Under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments , juries must be instructed that they may consider mitigating circumstances or factors such as the defendant 's youth , his mental capacity , or if there are signs of childhood abuse so that they may reach a well-reasoned and moral sentencing decision

The cases of juvenile offenders under the age of 14 should be treated as a sensitive matter . When making a decision as to whether a minor should be tried and charged as an adult or a juvenile , the gravity , seriousness and nature of the crime should be the most overwhelming consideration of the juries and of the prosecutors

Young Offenders ' Tender Age

Young offenders under 14 years of age do not - in fact , they cannot - think , comprehend , and feel things discussed in a criminal court like adults . Juvenile law violators may be capable to execute and commit the same criminal acts done by adults . However , many of these adolescents are not necessarily emotionally or cognitively established and mature enough to comprehend the full ramifications or consequences of their actions completely . They will not have an idea of what will transpire and be revealed to them once they have already entered the legal system

Children are definitely dissimilar from adults in one too many ways . The justice system should reflect and reconsider these apparent differences In recognizing that young people may be less blameworthy culpable than adults and may be more amenable and willing to change , law reformers...