Juvenile crime, nowadays, has been on the rise in some nations. It is argued that, with the exception of age, adult punishment should be applied to teenagers committing serious offenses. While everyone, although very young, has to receive proper regulations under the law as it can prevent breaking laws again, I believe some adult punishments might have a negative influence on their conduct.
On the one hand, I concede that teenagers need to receive severe adult punishments without considering their ages. When they wreck chaos in society by conducting crimes such as abducting children or joining in terrorism, the government should administer regulations similar to those given to adults, notwithstanding offenders being young. This policy in the legal system might deter young criminals from reoffending after completing their sentences.
On the other hand, I contend that punishing youngsters like adults due to the harsh crimes they committed is not a good idea. Oftentimes, sending teenagers to jail cannot serve as a rehabilitation program for them. Since convicts can be cooped up in their cells for 23 hours a day, prison might exert adverse impacts on most young criminals’ mental and emotional well-being. Take, for instance, my neighbor’s son, who was put into jail for 2 years because of drug dealing. As he was treated very badly in prison, he turned into a quarrelsome and selfish human being. In addition, a culture of crime that is prevalent in most prisons probably impacts teenagers. In fact, there is a group of more experienced criminals who are willing to extend their circles by attracting naïve young criminals. If they accompany these gangs, it is highly likely that young offenders will match up with them and commit more serious crimes after being realized.
To conclude, without doubt, the rate of juvenile crime is significantly increasing in a number of countries. Although receiving the same level of regulations as adults, such as a custodial sentence, serves as a deterrent to future illegal actions, this can negatively influence their mental health and improve their chance of joining other criminals in jail.