Debate - Juveniles Who Commit Serious Crimes Should Be Tried As Adults

     In debate class, we are now debating about the topic for the final week; Juveniles who commit serious crimes should be tried as adults. We don't know our sides yet, if we are going to be the Government or the Opposition, but I will write an argumentative essay based on my thoughts. I think that juveniles who commit serious crimes shouldn't be tried as adults and I will now state some reasons why I think so. But first, I will define some words. Juveniles mean people who are not adults yet and serious crimes mean crimes that gives so much damage to others. For example, there are murder and rape.

     First, I think that juveniles who commit serious crimes shouldn't be tried as adults because putting juveniles into adult system would give so much harm to the juveniles. What I mean is that juveniles have more hardness than the juveniles in juvenile systems. For example, it is hard for them to get a job when they become a full grown-ups because their college loans are limited if they go to jail. Also, who would like to accept a person who has a criminal record? No one would like a person who has been to jail for committing a serious crime. Moreover, the condition of the prison is poor according to a research by Human Rights Watch. Furthermore, juveniles are likely to be assaulted, abused, and commit suicide in the adult system. Lastly, they are deprived of counseling and family support which are crucial to juveniles.

     Second, the society will have more benefits. Some people might think that the society will be more dangerous if we keep juveniles in the juvenile system but actually it doesn't give the society much benefit. The reason why that I say like this is because we can use juveniles to do the community service. In that way, both society and juveniles would have a good effect. In the perspective of the society, it is good because the juveniles help the society to become better by doing some service and in the perspective of the juveniles, it is good because they could help the society and regret their wrong behaviours so it could be an opportunity to live a new life, helping others.

     In conclusion, I had written about my idea about the topic; Juveniles who commit serious crimes should be tried as adults and I strongly disagree with it. I gave two major arguments which were Hardness of Juveniles and Social Benefit. Because of these, I think that we shouldn't put juveniles who commit serious crimes into jails that could effect their lives forever.