Juvenile Sentencing

Everyone has different opinions and standpoints when it comes to sentencing juveniles. The essential question is, should juveniles be sentenced as adults? Juvenile sentencing is one huge contradiction as some teenagers, depending on the state they live in, are sentenced as adults while others are not. Teenagers should not be sentenced as adults under any circumstance. However they should be held accountable for the crime they have committed as it is unfair for any crime to not face any consequence.

The main reason as to why juveniles should not be sentenced as adults is because they are simply not adults. Their brains are not yet fully developed at the early ages of 12-18. Jensen affirms the part of the brain that is used for "executive decision making," or the front of the brain, is being developed during the teenage years. Jensen also states the last organ in the body to be completely developed is the brain. It is unfair for a teenager to be sentenced as an adult when they are not old enough to make adult decisions. Not only that but teenagers are constantly under pressure and scrutiny by their  friends, teachers and parents. Teenagers are known to act off of emotion and impulse leading them to make decisions they can soon regret. Aside from that, teenagers are easily influenced by their surroundings. Someone who has so much going against them should not be trailed as an adult. On top of that, teenagers are not given the same rights as adults. It would be unfair for teenagers to be charged as adults when by law, they are considered the opposite. Juveniles should be held accountable for their actions and punished but definitely not as adults.