US boy appeals prison sentence imposed at age 12

[Chemisse]

45. I would order him held in a juvenile detention center until he is 18.

And I would do my best to make sure he had the best conditions, so he could grow up to become as emotionally healthy as possible (as opposed to going into criminal-in-training). If legally permissible, I would have him psychologically evaluated before release, and make sure he had plenty of family or community support afterward.

A 12-year-old simply is not equipped to make adult decisions, and should not be treated like an adult when he makes the wrong one. There is a reason children are supposed to have a parent or guardian guiding their choices until age 18.

As far as the victim's family and their desire for revenge, that is unfortunate for them to be caught up in such misery. It must be hellacious. But yielding to them is not much better than just letting the child go with a lynch mob.