General Discussion

DisgustipatedinCA

(12,530 posts)

2. At what age should teens be tried as adults

Tue Nov 19, 2013, 05:27 PM

Nov 2013

I understand the nominal answer is 18, but there are lots of teens tried as adults. Legal types, please feel free to correct my assumption, but I believe that juveniles are tried in different courts because the justice system recognizes that young people aren't adults, that their brains haven't fully come into adulthood, etc. If this is the case, then why isn't there a standard from which courts don't deviate.

By the way, I only read the excerpt in the OP, not the full story. Just the excerpt makes me believe this was an especially heinous murder. I don't know what this 17-year old deserved/deserves for this crime, but I do wonder if we should set a standard and stick with it.

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Colo. teen who killed girl to spend life in prison [View all] Xipe Totec Nov 2013 OP

Evil has nothing to do with it. rug Nov 2013 #1

this kid kidnapped, raped, killed, and chopped a child into pieces..... chillfactor Nov 2013 #3

Ok, throw out the law books and replace it with Deuteronomy. rug Nov 2013 #11

I get what you're saying. Sarcasm and all Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #32

because justice in America is all about revenge, rather than rehabilitation.... mike_c Nov 2013 #26

Sometimes the wiring is messed up and it's not about rehabilitation Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #29

but is it really possible to know that at the beginning of someone's life? mike_c Nov 2013 #35

Redemption begins with contrition and compunction. Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #42

Did you ever seriously consider torture and murder as a teenager? ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #43

Oh hell no. He's wired wrong. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #38

I'll have to defer to your knowledge... mike_c Nov 2013 #41

yep he...kidnapped, raped, killed, and chopped a child into pieces. Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #45

And showed no remorse when sentenced. Ranchemp. Nov 2013 #47

And only ONCE, during the entire trial, showed even a hint of emotion. Lizzie Poppet Nov 2013 #48

In most cases I would probably agree with you. But did you read the details of this one??? nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #7

Yeah, pretty horrible. rug Nov 2013 #12

Yeah, I'm not all that comfortable with moralizing from the bench myself. nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #15

Yeah, shit happens, eh? nt ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #23

More shit doesn't help, eh? rug Nov 2013 #28

Where's the shit? ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #37

It's unlikely he will kill again if he has the chance at parole. rug Nov 2013 #39

Oh don't worry, he'll be sat on and watched CFLDem Nov 2013 #51

Are you giddy at the prospect of prison rape? rug Nov 2013 #52

No just emphasizing karma. n/t CFLDem Nov 2013 #54

That explains the smiley. rug Nov 2013 #55

Yep, child rapists/murderers don't fare well in prison, Ranchemp. Nov 2013 #53

The type of killer who does that to people, especially children, cannot be redeemed or rehabilitated ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #8

An opinion stated as fact remains an opinion, no matter how uniformed. rug Nov 2013 #13

Most noted criminal forensic and pathological experts would agree ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #18

Then it should be a simple task to link to. rug Nov 2013 #19

Not really ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #21

It appears you did waste a lot of money. rug Nov 2013 #30

how do you know that...? mike_c Nov 2013 #27

He doesn't. It's bullshit. rug Nov 2013 #31

If he isn't free to kill and dismember another 10 year old.... ProudToBeBlueInRhody Nov 2013 #40

The judge isn't responsible for the convict's redemption. Nuclear Unicorn Nov 2013 #20

Rehabilation is one of the three core purposes of criminal sentencing. rug Nov 2013 #33

There's no such thing as redemption. Codeine Nov 2013 #22

Without the last, the first two are meaningless. rug Nov 2013 #34

At what age should teens be tried as adults DisgustipatedinCA Nov 2013 #2

I have no assumptions. I'm posting only for information Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #6

Thanks....this definitely wasnt a "shoot the messenger thing". The story just made me think about DisgustipatedinCA Nov 2013 #14

Teens are usually tried as adults for the really psychopathic, premeditated stuff Blue_Tires Nov 2013 #10

Right--it does seem to be reserved for big, violent crimes. DisgustipatedinCA Nov 2013 #16

I do remember a lot of states pledging to change the law after this case: Blue_Tires Nov 2013 #17

Sounds reasonable. TheCowsCameHome Nov 2013 #4

Unless there's treatable mental illness Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #5

Well, now we have a lifetime to figure out if it's treatable Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #46

Don't they have to do a mental evaluation? Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #49

Maybe in ten years, or twenty. Xipe Totec Nov 2013 #50

Good. Buns_of_Fire Nov 2013 #9

"There is something simply broken in him that can't be fixed." Deuce Nov 2013 #24

the Tsarnaev brother should get the same thing JI7 Nov 2013 #25

Good. We lived through that nightmare. I'm so sorry for her parents. DevonRex Nov 2013 #36

No problem with this, Ranchemp. Nov 2013 #44