Answer to Question #179245 in English for jsrtkyr

Question

Read the Los Angeles Times article

Write a response to the question: should the teenager in this case be charged as an adult, as a juvenile, or not charged at all (meaning he should not go to trial and instead should be given alternatives to incarceration).

Your answer must address the following:

1. The teen’s age (and what we know about teenage brain development)
2. The consequences of his actions (is there a victim, what happened to them)
3. The race/ethnicity and socio-economic status of both parties (the teen and the victim)
4. Your thoughts/feelings/beliefs on whether or not you feel incarceration works, doesn’t work, should only be used in extreme cases (if so, does this count as an extreme case), etc.

Answer 1

The young 14-year-old does not deserve a prison sentence, either as a child or as an adult. At the age of 14, the young person is at the start of his adolescence, which separates him from the adult category. Moreover, a young boy is unaware of the repercussions of his decisions. It is statistically known that adolescents have a brain that is not completely formed. They succeed in succumbing to social pressure and weak decision-making. The young person is suspected of rocking the police at a protest rally. From the legal standpoint, the activities of the adolescent are classified as illegal offences. The rock may have injured a police officer or even caused death. The social perspective, though, proves differently. The police should be keen to have guidance rather than detention for juveniles. Violating the police is a highly rated crime in most governments. Police are obliged to comply with law and order, but anyone igniting abuse against them is considered a suspect. Under certain governments, claimants should start requesting assistance from the judiciary, since a police officer offends them on service.

Prison can not, though, be seen as an option when coping with struggling teens. In the basis of the scientific evidence, adolescents should be guided and instructed to assume complete responsibility for their acts. This can happen until they grow into adults and are totally accountable for their decisions.