Talking about juvenile justice, you know when a crime involves a minor, the question is usually different from that of an adult. A lot will be considered, but the bone of contention is that no crime should go unpunished, either from an adult or from a minor; it's just that the approach to punishment might differ.
Questions like "Should the child be tried or should the law handle such a child just as an adult?" will begin to be a topic for discussion.
No doubt, both kids and teens are in their developing stage of life, and so their understanding and judgment may not be the same as an adult's. Some of these children came from an abusive home; some came from a home filled with neglect and some negative environmental influences affecting their lives negatively. In this case, if we choose to punish them like an adult, we might not get the desired result; that bad behavior might not be corrected, but rather they might be exposed to something worse, and that's where the question of where we draw the line comes in.
Let's assume my teenage child committed a crime that affected another family so badly. Should we tell the family that my teen is just a child? No, that you are a child or teen doesn't qualify you to be exempted from taking responsibility, and when a society starts keeping quiet for a crime committed by a child or teen, other young people will have the mindset that it's alright to behave badly and get away with their actions.
But then again, I don't think taking a child to adult prison for committing a crime is okay either. I believe there are different approaches to justice, not only by getting punished but also by considering a rehabilitative approach. A place to give people a second chance to live rightly. It's high time we really grew past where we are today; maybe we should deploy a justice system that evaluates people's offenses, how gravity they are, their family history, and tangible info about them and then considers where that offender should be, either in prison or in a correctional and rehab center.
Take for instance, a young boy steals a phone; he should not be punished exactly like a person who kills someone. Let there be a room for correction and accountability. What we should target is to protect our society without necessarily giving up on offenders who still have the opportunity to turn into a new leaf; it's possible, it's doable, and it's all about implementing a strategy that works.
At the end of the day, justice is supposed to protect the victims, even hold them accountable, and ensure they don't commit further crimes.
Overall, nobody is above the law; everyone should face it, both minors and adults, and the punishment should be treated just according to their size, or, better still, consider other approaches of justice as indicated above. Above all, children should understand that every criminal act attracts punishment; with that, others will be guided.
Image was taken from canva
