Li's Creations

Juvenile Justice

Vandalism, Disorderly conduct, Trespass, and larceny; these are only some of the crimes that children, mostly teenagers, commit nowadays. Youths between fifteen and seventeen make up 68 percent of all juvenile arrests and they are most likely to be arrested for alcohol and drug violations. And I know what you're thinking; they should be punished. However, is it truly right for them to be loathed by many regardless of their misdeeds?

             In this generation, people think that teenagers, when they have done a crime, should pay for their unruly acts because they assume that they already have the minds to understand how adults see situations. Because of the influence of one's surroundings, childhood psychological trauma, violence, imitation of criminal authorities, and social media, young people tend to perpetrate crimes that are not suitable for their ages. And most individuals despise them for their wrongdoing and even go far as to blame them, saying that they are too foolish to acknowledge what they're acting on. But what society doesn't realize is how these children are struggling to handle and comprehend the circumstances they go through.

It's not uncommon for an average person to hear news about a teenager or two committing misdemeanors daily and as time passes, we begin to have this idea that youngsters should be punished for the unlawful acts they make. Although it may seem quite reasonable, it does not mean that they have to face serious penalization for something that surely has a reason why it happened.

I am certain that juvenile delinquency is carried out by the reasons of peer pressure, poor education, poor socioeconomic status, substance abuse, and neglectful parents. They act unmanageable because of conditions that they cannot control. Moreover, they are simply trying to find a way to cope with the complications that they face and it is not right for people to discriminate against them.

They are children, which explains that they are still learning how to make the right decisions. Furthermore, their assimilation of events is not yet complete and it needs more improvement so that they are capable of grasping the situation intelligibly. They can be wrong at times and adults should understand that being calm and educating them instead is what's best to do.

Those who have performed minor crimes such as disorderly conduct, vandalism, and stealing should be disciplined by probation, community service, home confinement, or juvenile hall. However, if it's a major crime that they have committed, they should not be sentenced to prison immediately and they must be given a chance to prove themselves that they have a sensible reason why they perpetrated the act.

Anyone can be capable of performing a crime, even children. Nevertheless, we should not be prejudiced against them because they are lost in what happens in the community. They are often misunderstood and we should not be treating them as if they are impotent but as equals.

With this in mind, we should accept juvenile delinquency because these children are still developing and they are trying to apprehend the situations they face. As adults, we should try to understand them and always be there whenever they need a helping hand with the difficulties they undergo. Let us all be mindful of the words we say and what we feel toward these children because I guarantee you that the result would be so wonderful.

[Original Work of Lianne Talan]

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One of my personal favorites!