Juvenile Death Penalty

[Shattered Soul]

Boy, 11, Told Police He Kicked Crying Baby (02/14/04)

An 11-year-old boy who was in a Prince George's County house last week when a baby was killed has told police that he repeatedly kicked the crying child out of frustration, law enforcement sources familiar with the case said yesterday.

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Grays Ferry boy charged with raping stepsister, 2 (02/16/04)

A 13-year-old boy was charged with raping his 2-year-old stepsister in the Grays Ferry section of Southwest Philadelphia, police said yesterday. Police were called to a South Philadelphia home about 9 a.m. by a family member who reported witnessing the alleged attack, Sgt. Roland Lee said.



These are just two examples of the kinds of crimes that juveniles are committing nowadays. I say that by the time you're five, you know whether something is wrong or not. You know hitting hurts, for instance, and that you're not supposed to do it.

It wouldn't be a big deal for me, really, if these kids were confined for a particular number of years, (not just until age 21--three years for murder or rape doesn't make a big impression on an 18-year-old), and if their records weren't sealed, because if they commit murder or rape as an adult, their previous crimes (read "propensities") aren't taken into consideration during sentencing.

The question is, do you think that there are some crimes for which juveniles should be tried as adults? At what point is a "child" considered to be beyond rehabilitation? At what point is a child to be made to take responsibility for his actions?

The victim of a child is just as dead as the victim of an adult. If a child intends to commit murder or rape or some such crime, and makes an effort to evade the law afterwards, then how can one make an issue of maturity? Are we talking criminal sophistication or age-wise? I know thirty-five year olds who are about as mature as a toddler...