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Charging Children As Adults


catholicinsd

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Yah, more info would be needed, but I think 18 is a really arbitary age. Is there any substantial difference between a 17 and 18 year old?

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You know, some people believe that the brain isn't fully developed until the age of 25 or so. (in hot stuff's case we are [i]still[/i] waiting) Maybe no one under the age of 25 should be tried as an adult...

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[quote name='Era Might' post='1066097' date='Sep 18 2006, 04:32 PM']
Yah, more info would be needed, but I think 18 is a really arbitary age. Is there any substantial difference between a 17 and 18 year old?
[/quote]
The real question is is there any substantial difference between an 18 and 21 year old :whistle:

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[quote name='Didymus' post='1066111' date='Sep 18 2006, 04:51 PM']
but then you might not be allowed to serve your country till you're 25.
[/quote]
Point is, it's all abitrary.

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About 10 years ago, a local minor (15) was charged as an adult for the shooting of some other kids during a drug deal gone bad. Based on the circumstances, prior history, etc., the government wanted to charge him as an adult. Do-gooders raised hell and he was charged as a minor.

Speed ahead 3 years and two more deaths and a number of other crimes, he is now a career criminal.

Successfull intent to kill is successfull whether he was 14 or 44. Accidental or questionable circumstances may consider the maturity.

Then there is the local case where an 11 yo boy killed a 6 yo, doing wrestling moves. People wanted him charged as an adult because they could force him to get psychiatric help. Again, people cried for him and put a stop to it. A few years later, he was arrested for multiple rapes on other children at the ripe old age of 15.

There should be no such thing as a 'free pass'. Sure, there's general rules, but just as some 40 year olds aren't mentally compentent to stand trial, some 14 yo may be compentent enough to know exactly what they are doing and still choose to commit a heinous crime.

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[quote name='Anomaly' post='1066136' date='Sep 18 2006, 05:16 PM'] A few years later, he was arrested for multiple rapes on other children at the ripe old age of 15.[/quote]

Gah! :shock: I had not heard that follow up... I remember the story, though...

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[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1066100' date='Sep 18 2006, 04:37 PM']
You know, some people believe that the brain isn't fully developed until the age of 25 or so. (in hot stuff's case we are [i]still[/i] waiting) Maybe no one under the age of 25 should be tried as an adult...
[/quote]

HEY!!! :o



Ok fair enough..

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[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1066137' date='Sep 18 2006, 04:18 PM']
Gah! :shock: I had not heard that follow up... I remember the story, though...
[/quote]I got to thinking, then I looked it up. I got him confused with another child rapist. Lionel got off with a year of juvenile detention for stomping the 6 year old to death when he was 12. At the age of 15, he was busted for armed robbery and battery and then was charged as an adult and got 30 years.

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[quote name='notardillacid' post='1066114' date='Sep 18 2006, 04:54 PM']
The real question is is there any substantial difference between an 18 and 21 year old :whistle:
[/quote]
Well, I think there's a much bigger difference than 17 and 18. I'll be 21 this year, and I'm definitely a very different person than I was when I turned 18.

However, when I was 15, I wasn't incapable of reason and committing acts I fully knew were evil and wrong. I could have easily murdered someone and known fully what I was doing.

I don't know if that means 15 years olds should be charged as adults. But, from personal experience, you don't suddenly gain the ability to reason at the age of 18.

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[quote name='Era Might' post='1066185' date='Sep 18 2006, 06:15 PM']you don't suddenly gain the ability to reason at the age of 18.
[/quote]
amen....

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Don John of Austria

[quote name='Era Might' post='1066185' date='Sep 18 2006, 06:15 PM']
Well, I think there's a much bigger difference than 17 and 18. I'll be 21 this year, and I'm definitely a very different person than I was when I turned 18.

However, when I was 15, I wasn't incapable of reason and committing acts I fully knew were evil and wrong. I could have easily murdered someone and known fully what I was doing.

I don't know if that means 15 years olds should be charged as adults. But, from personal experience, you don't suddenly gain the ability to reason at the age of 18.
[/quote]


Oh my goodness--- we completly agree!

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