The words “minor” and “crime” being in the same sentence should not really sound strange. From our neighborhoods to the rest of the world, bad things happen around us every day, and most times, it is not just adults involved. Minors also get themselves into really bad situations. Where it gets tricky is when we focus more on their age. Legally, people within the 0–17 age bracket are generally treated differently from adults when it comes to criminal responsibility and trial. But when a crime, an offence serious enough to warrant legal action, is involved, perhaps we should also be looking at accountability options regardless of age.
First off, I think the phrase “just a kid” is sometimes used to make excuses for bad behavior. Even a five-year-old knows when they are doing something contrary to what mummy or daddy has told them. They may not fully understand the consequences of every action, but they can recognize when they are doing something wrong. We are taught right from wrong from a very young age, and that understanding should not suddenly disappear because someone committed an offence before turning eighteen. Granted, we all make mistakes, but there are levels to mistakes.. Robbery or deliberately hurting someone is an entirely different conversation. When we are talking about actual crimes, calling everything a “mistake” does not make the crime any less real.
At the same time, we cannot ignore the circumstances surrounding a young offender. Nobody wakes up one morning and randomly becomes a robber, violent offender or murderer. There are usually signs along the way. Maybe there were behavioral problems that were ignored. Maybe the child grew up in an abusive home, a bad neighborhood or around people who constantly exposed them to violence and criminal behavior. Neglect, abuse and peer influence can shape the way a child understands what is normal. This does not excuse the crime, but it can help explain how the child got there.
This is also why treating a minor exactly like an adult can be complicated. A young person placed in an adult prison may not necessarily come out rehabilitated. They could come out more hardened, more exposed to criminal influences and even more disconnected from society. Punishment can sometimes correct behavior, but it can also make things worse when the person being punished is still developing emotionally and mentally.
So perhaps the answer is not to choose between “they are children", and , "punish them like adults.” There should be room to consider the seriousness of the offence, the child's maturity, their background, their intention and their possibility of rehabilitation. These are just factors that needs to be considered before concluding how to serve deserved justice. Of course justice should still be served, but the form of that justice may need to be different.
At the end of the day, accountability should not disappear simply because the offender is young. The victim still deserves justice, and society still deserves protection. But a young offender should also have a chance to become better than the worst thing they have ever done. Juvenile justice should therefore be about finding that balance, holding minors accountable without giving up on the possibility that they can still get back on the right foot.
