In some societies, the number of juvenile delinquencies is rising. Some people believe that teenagers who commit serious crimes, regardless of their age, should be punished as adults. I half agree with this point and will discuss my viewpoint in this essay.
The part I agree with is that many criminals, due to the legal protection of minors and the fact that minors receive lighter sentences for the same crime, will incite minors to commit crimes to reduce their criminal costs. For instance, in some criminal gangs in Taiwan, they hire minors as shooters, inciting them to commit crimes and then turning themselves in. Because they are minors, perhaps in the end, they only need to be imprisoned for 3 to 5 years or even receive a suspended sentence. However, this not only fails to protect the future of minors but also encourages them to commit crimes, making society even more unstable.
On the other hand, some minors may be exploited by others due to their immature minds and thus break the law. If no laws are enacted to protect them and impose relatively lenient punishments, it may cost them their future. After receiving the punishment, they may be unable to integrate into society due to the longer prison terms. For instance, some minors may be lured into drug trading or become car drivers and gunners. In addition to strengthening school promotion,
lighter penalties as a warning are equally important.
In conclusion, there is a saying that young people are the pillars of a country’s future. Therefore, it should be left to the judge to decide whether this young man deserves another chance and is given a lenient punishment or feels hopeless and is sentenced severely.