Not All Juveniles Should Walk Free

In “Kid Are Kids-Until They Commit Crimes” by Marjie Lundstrom, Lundstrom states that “nearly every state has moved to make it easier to charge kids as adults-juvenile crime is way down.” I would like to know what caused the juvenile crime to go down. Could the fact that states have made it easier for kids to be charged as adults be a solution to the juvenile crime problem? According to Lundstrom, “the nation’s juvenile arrest rate for murder fell 68 percent from 1993 to 1999… Juvenile arrest rate for violent crime overall fell 36 percent from 1994 to 1999.” In my opinion people should look into the reason of why the juvenile crime rate declined and there may be the solution the juvenile crime problem. Maybe sentencing some juveniles to life in prison considering the crime committed would scare and prevent other juveniles from committing heinous crimes.
I don't believe that every juvenile who has committed a heinous crime should be able to walk free 20 years later. I would say that a lot of factors have to be considered before sentencing them to life in prison but keep it a option. For example if a teens goes into an elementary school and kills dozens of children by shooting them then the juvenile should get sentenced to life in prison. Walking free in 40 years for that crime isn’t enough for crime committed and the problems that the juvenile has created to families and friends. However If a teen were to murder someone or people by accident or by their emotions and inability to process what he/she is doing then the juvenile shouldn't be sentenced to life but should still be punished. Sentencing some teen to life in prison without parole considering their crime committed may make other juveniles think twice of their actions and it will show them that they won't be able to walk free later in life because they have an underdeveloped brain.
It’s true that teen have an underdeveloped brain and therefore shouldn't be tried as adults but everyone is different. Some teens mature faster than others for example a teen may be 17 years old but have the mind of 23 year old while other 17 year olds may still have the mind of a child. Not everyone teen is impulsive and immature and some know exactly what they are doing and what would be the consequences. Therefore I say that many factors have to be taken in before letting a juvenile who murdered dozens of children walk free 20-40 years later but not all juveniles who committed heinous crimes should go to prison to life without parole.