Juvenile Alternative Facility

In society there is a price to pay for every crime. When it comes to charging juvenile offenders there is often a debate on whether juvenile offenders should be tried as adults and sentence them to adult prisons. In a country governed by laws that says each crime is punishable. How is a society to judge one's fate when it comes to adolescence. There is juvenile facilities and ranches where youth offenders are placed not just to be punish but to help rehabilitate these teens. These juveniles don't deserve the treatment they get, they deserve a second chance for a better life, and a chance to blossom as a person. These teens should not be tried as adults, because at the end of the day they are still children. Teens, between the ages of 13-18 are told that they are too young to watch certain movies or buy certain thing; they maybe even hear that they are too old to act a certain way. But when is being too old or maybe too young to get arrested and being sent to an adult prison. In most recent articles from the Sacramento Bee, Paul Thompson Startling Finds of The Teenage Brain, New york times Gail Garinger Juvenile don't deserve a life sentences, both writing on how child/teens are not liable enough to actually be sent to prison. Many people believe no matter what age a crime is committed it is still a crime and should receive a punishment.

Although youth offenders think they know what they're doing, they need help to fully understand what they have committed and their consequences for there actions. Thompson states,Frontal lobes which inhibit our violent passions, rash actions, and regulate our emotions, are vastly immature throughout the teenage years. Juvenile offenders are able to understand right from wrong but since their frontal lobes are in charge of their emotions they really can't fully comprehend on what they did wrong wrong. Most murders committed by youth offenders aren't thought out and they are just a rash action. These teens do deserve punishment for the crime they have committed but they shouldn't be subjected to serve life in prison without parole they should be given a chance to rehabilitate and prove themselves.All teens should have a second chance to prove themselves and show that they can change. I believe that with strong help and support juvenile offenders can change. 1,200 children under the age of 18 who are being held in adult prisons across the country. The number is about 10,000 when local adult jails are included(SPLC). Most teen killers are in an unstable home and have an unhealthy relationship with their parents. Many don't have a male role model in their life. For example Greg Ousley who was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder of his parents. Ousley stated to his mother that he was scared, that all he ever thought about was murder and suicide (Anderson). Ousley was one who tried to reach out to his mother but failed because she did not listen nor believe him. This could have been prevent if he was just taken seriously.

Many adult prison do have programs and opportunities to help change people but the help is way lower that a juvenile facility. In juvenile facilities the main goal is to provide help and rehabilitation to all these kids that enter the facilities to make them better and prepared for the outside world. Kids will be kids. People believe that once a child has done something bad then that child is bad. They are not just kids anymore, they are known as super predators, no conscious,(Hillary Clinton). What clinton is trying to say that once a juvdoes something wrong that are often referred to as a threat and a vigilante. Kids who grow up in poverty will turn to violence(vice news), by this being said this shows that these juvenile offenders that grow up poor want that attention that many of their families can't give them. These teens who grow up in these poor neighborhood look for mental figures they can actually relate too. Everyone in life is going to make do kind of poor decision but hopefully they will learn from that poor decision. These juvenile offenders are should be given the opportunity show society that they have change and fully taken responsibility for their actions In conclusion, juveniles should not be sentenced to life in prison but to be helped. I do believe that teens can prove to become better people while in these juvenile facilities. These teens should be given the shot to prove and fix the mistakes they have made to show that they're not malicious criminals and the hope to become mature normal teenagers. This is a serious and sensitive topic, as well as an issue that needs to be dealt and talked about to see how we as a country can help these kids and change them. Teenagers do not deserve to be treated as adults but they deserve a chance to prove themselves.

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