There is a view that juveniles who commit severe crimes should receive the same punishment as adults. I disagree with this view because the frontal lobes of the brain do not fully develop until the age of 25, and young offenders still have the potential to be rehabilitated.
Admittedly, being punished in the same way as adults can be desirable in some regards. Giving juveniles the same punishment as adults can deter them from committing further crimes in the future. Not only can this contribute to a reduction in crime, but it can also serve as a lesson for young people. More specifically, some people pay juveniles to murder others, knowing that they will not spend much time in prison due to their age. In addition, from the victim’s perspective, it does not matter how old the perpetrator is because the victim’s suffering remains the same.
Despite the aforementioned arguments, I am of the opinion that there is still hope to rehabilitate young offenders. First and foremost, governments should concentrate on why they became criminals in the first place, such as poverty or a poor family environment. After identifying these causes, young offenders should be provided with special training and psychological support so that they do not commit further crimes after completing their sentences. The more time young offenders spend behind bars, the more they are likely to learn how to become better criminals, as they interact with and are influenced by experienced offenders.After considering both sides of the argument, I believe it is better to begin rehabilitating young offenders as early as possible.
In conclusion, even though receiving the same punishment as adults can be seen as positive in some respects, I believe that rehabilitating young offenders is a more effective approach.