Juvenile Crime

Juvenile Crime

The correlation between repeat violent crimes by juvenile delinquents and juvenile delinquency in general are problems that we as Americans must understand in order to remedy the serious crime rate of adolescents. Doing so would eliminate the rampant rate of violent juvenile crimes committed and decrease the number of minors who are then injected into the judicial system as juvenile delinquents. In my studies I have found evidence that proves that stricter laws should be passed for serious juvenile offenders.

Originally austere juvenile laws were not foreseen to be necessary as noted in an article by Tamryn J. Etten and Robert F. Petrone which stated that the first juvenile court was designed to "spare juveniles from harsh proceedings of adult court, punitive and unseemly conditions of adult jails and penitentiaries, and the stigma of being branded criminal." The juvenile court is intended to be less punitive and more therapeutic than the adult system. Most juvenile court records may be destroyed, or "expunged", after two years, or in some special cases, after less time. More serious crimes committed by juveniles are now automatically transferred to adult court.

The book, Juvenile Delinquency, defines juvenile delinquency as violations of criminal laws by minors. "In most states a minor is anyone under the age of 18" (Agnew, 2001). If a minor commits an act that would be a crime when committed by an adult, that minor has engaged in juvenile delinquency and may be considered a juvenile delinquent. If a minor breaks the law, society generally views that person as immature and in need of guidance. Others feel that many juvenile offenders know exactly what they are doing and should be punished just as severely as adults. "In the case of a 6-year old girl in Florida who got into a fight with her 7-year-old friend the 6-year-old girl repeatedly hit her friend with a piece of wood and her dress was soaked with blood as an older boy held the 7-year-olds' arms behind her back" (Agnew,2001). Despite her age, it appears that the 6 year old strategically planned her friend's demise. In this case the two involved in the attack where fully aware of what they were doing, but it leaves the question, what age is someone expected to be accountable for criminal actions.

In the case of Eddings versus Oklahoma a 16 year-old youth named Monty Lee Eddings and several friends ran away from their Missouri homes, traveling in a car owned by Eddings' brother. They eventually reach the Oklahoma turnpike with several rifles and a shotgun in the car that he had taken from his father. Eddings lost control of the vehicle and was pulled over by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol. When the officer approached the car, Eddings stuck a loaded shotgun out the window and fired, instantly killing the officer. Because of Mr. Eddings juvenile status, the state of Oklahoma had to move to have him certified to stand trial as an adult. Finding that there was prosecuting merit to the complaint and that Eddings was not amendable to rehabilitation within the juvenile system, the trial court granted the motion. The ruling was affirmed in the Oklahoma criminal appeals courts Eddings was then charged with first-degree murder and sentenced him to death.

When crimes of this nature are committed there shouldn't be a question as to whether or the offender is juvenile. The choice of punishing a young offender is tough, but considering Eddings age and the heinous crime he committed, it is reasonable to say that his punishment was justifiable.

The violent crimes that continually occur in schools today prove that something is failing and our current juvenile are not effective enough or even consider by the offenders. School is supposed to be a safe haven for young people to learn without fearing for their safety. Although school officials work toward making the environment safe and secure, crime and violence eventually find their way on school grounds. Safety will continue to be a concern at school until harsher disciplinary actions are enforced. According to Crime and Criminals: Opposing Viewpoints, over 390 school-associated violent deaths occurred between mid-1992 and mid-2000 at elementary and secondary schools in the United States, which included a homicide, suicide, legal intervention (involving a law enforcement officer), or unintentional firearm-related death in which the fatal injury occurred on a functioning elementary or secondary school campus (Roleff,2000). The victims included students, staff members, and non-students.

The number of violent crimes committed by juvenile offenders continues to increase in contrast to those committed by adults, which presents a need for tougher laws to be implemented. "The arrest rate for violent juvenile crimes increased by 47% from 1994 to 1998, which