Juvenile rapists should be treated same as adults  (09-18-2013)

Juvenile rapists should be treated same as adults in the court of law

A juvenile is a person who is below the age of 18 years. The recent Delhi gang rape accused

was a minor and was the most ferocious out of all, has enticed everybodys attention.

!or"

- Individuals who are 1 !ears and above should be treated as adults and especiall! in cases where

the! are accountable for atrocious delin"uencies li#e rapes and murder 

- $he severit! of the crime is dependent on the mental state of the individual rather than the a%e and

hence should be punished accordin% to the crime done

- If lenienc! is observed while punishin% a &uvenile' it would motivate other &uveniles to also do the

same and %et awa!' and this would result in increase in crimes

- $he punishment should be decided on the basis of the severit! of the act and also ta#in% his

mental condition into consideration

Against"

- n individual who is below 18 !ears of a%e is still not capable of ma#in% ri%ht decisions and need

constant support and hence the! should be %iven a chance to rehabilitate and motivate them to ta#e

the ri%ht part

- If the! are treated as adults in punishment' it could have an adverse effect on their mind' in return

ma#in% them all the more brutal and violent

- &uvenile lac#s the abilit! to decide what is ri%ht and what is wron%' and hence treatin% him li#e an

adult would be wron%

#onclusion"

- $he punishment should be decided on the basis of the severit! of the crime ps!cholo%ical test of 

the &uvenile could help the authorities in determinin% his current state of mind and thus helpin% in the

decision ma#in% as to what punishment should be %iven

- If the individual is &ust a few months !oun%er before turnin% out to be an adult* should be treated as

an adult' for e+ample, if the individual is 1!ears and . months old' he should be treated as an

adult

$%" Juvenile rapists should be treated same as adults /a&ani harma (01--201)

!or"

 

Juvenile rapists who commit serious crimes should be treated same as adults therwise there are

chances of it becomin% a habit that can carr! on till later life of that person If such actions of

teena%ers are i%nored then it will motivate other &uveniles to do the same crime and %et awa! and

this would result in increase in crimes

If &uvenile rapists are not punished for their actions then the! will never understand the

conse"uences of their actions and the impact of the same on the societ! In fact there should be

strict laws for discoura%in% !oun% children from committin% such crimes

4owada!s' lot of news is bein% heard of !ouths #illin% !ouths because of bein% in the wron% %roup

$his needs to be stopped and the onl! wa! to stop the same is to start treatin% their violent

behaviour with strict actions If teena%ers are adult enou%h to do such crime then the! are adult

enou%h to be punished for that crime

$he severit! should be considered while decidin% the punishment s it is dependent on the mental

state of the individual rather than the a%e of the person 5riminalit! is in the mind and not in the a%e

6ence should be punished accordin%l!

$his action will definitel! decrease the number of &uvenile crimes and will save our world from

terrible crimes committed b! teena%ers

7rom a medical and ps!cholo%ical point of view' a person reaches a level of maturit! once he is at

the a%e of 1. oo#in% at the current social scenario where children are bein% e+posed to' there is a

need to re-thin# the &uvenile a%e

Against"

Juvenile rapists should not be treated same as adults as the! are children In that a%e the! lac#

the abilit! to decide what is ri%ht and what is wron% for them $he! do not have the same thou%ht

processes that adults have $he! act on emotions or wants' without thin#in% about their actions

completel! ccordin% to recent studies' the brains prefrontal lobe' which some scientists speculate

pla!s a crucial role in inhibitin% inappropriate behaviour' ma! not reach full development until a%e

20 6ence the! should not be treated with an! harsh punishment rather be %iven a chance to

rehabilitate and motivate them to ta#e the ri%ht path

:unishment could have an adverse effect on their mind' ma#in% them more violent and brutal

$here could be man! reasons li#e an unhealth! lifest!le' insufficient mentorin% from a parent etc

for committin% such crimes at such an earl! a%e $hus' these factors should be considered while

treatin% &uvenile rapists as adults

 

If children are e+posed to a harsh and terrif!in% environment in the prison then the! are more li#el!

to lose their freedom at a !oun% a%e ;overnment should let &uveniles remain in the &uvenile &ustice

s!stem in order to protect their ph!sical and mental health' %ivin% them a better chance at

rehabilitation for the crime the! committed