Abolishing Juvenile Justice

260 Words2 Pages
Research has shown that the brain of a minor is significantly under developed to that of an adult. Juveniles are unable to conceptualize and rationalize the actions in which they take-criminal or not. In recent years, policymakers and critics alike have made compelling arguments as to why juvenile courts should be abolished. Such arguments include the cost of juvenile courts, how intervention and rehabilitation do not work-although statistics disagree, and how the institutional integrity has been damaged through the use of waivers. There is no question that the juvenile justice system is not perfect, but what government entity is. The concept of abolishing the juvenile justice system is impractical and outlandish. The juvenile justice system simply needs an overhaul. According to Geraghty (1997), “Most children's advocates conclude that the future of the juvenile court lies in the preservation and improvement of the court rather than its abolition” (“Juvenile Justice Bulletin”, 2000). There are three truths that both critics and advocates of juvenile justice have agreed upon. The first, children are fundamentally different from adults due to their lack of cognitive and moral decision making. Second, providing procedural protection and effective intervention has failed. Lastly, the juvenile justice system cannot only rely on its traditional foundation. Eliminating the juvenile court system and taking away diversion, intervention, prevention only induces the possibility of creating career criminals. This in turn will overflow our adult correctional facilities and can cause real criminals to be released early. It is imperative to continue to treat juveniles rather than condemning them to criminal
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