Informative Research

Cayce 1

Carys Cayce

English 102 #13494

Prof. Waters

21 February 2023

Outline Draft

Main idea statement: Although some people argue that juveniles should be tried as adults

because it would bring justice to the victims’ families and give them a fair punishment for severe

crimes committed, other people argue that juveniles should not be tried as adults because they

still have time to mature and change their violent behavior with rehabilitation.

I. The juvenile justice system has been around for many years built on the common goal

of helping juvenile offenders against punishments in court while the adult court

system focuses on punishment for the crime committed.

A. The juvenile justice system was created to help the juvenile rather than put them

behind bars.

1. It promotes rehabilitation instead of severe punishment leading to ruining their

lives, and they are not likely to reoffend when matured and rehabilitated.

2. Children who are locked up face violence and trauma while in jail with adults.

B. The adult court system prosecutes people for committing crimes.

1. Juveniles are tried in the adult court if the crime is extreme enough.

2. The goal here is to punish and have formal courts.

C. The juvenile justice system is made to provide help and access for juveniles who

commit crimes and avoid jail while the adult court system is there to punish

depending on the severity of the crime.

II. Many parties are involved, directly and indirectly, in the debate between if juveniles

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should be tried as adults or not.

A. The parties involved directly with this decision are the juvenile court, the adult

criminal court, the offender, the victim and the families of both.

1. The court systems get to decide if the case gets tried as an adult or stays in the

juvenile system.

2. The offender, victim and families are all involved as they must go to court and

are the ones hurt here.

A. People directly involved indirectly are anyone in contact with the offender.

1. People who are in close contact with the offender fear that the offender could

harm them as well.

2. Neighbors, people who hear about it on the news risk it happening to them as

well and their city becomes unsafe.

B. There are many different people involved with juveniles being tried as adults in

the court system.

III. Some people argue that juveniles should be tried as adults because it would bring

justice to the victims’ families and give them a fair punishment for severe crimes

committed.

A. Juveniles should be tried as adults in the court system.

1. The crime is severe enough to put them in jail.

2. It reduces the chance for the offender to commit more crimes and gives the

people justice.

3. It creates consistency for the crime severity regardless of age.

IV. Other people argue that juveniles should not be tried as adults because they still have

time to mature and change their violent behavior with rehabilitation and are not safe

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in adult prison.

1. Juveniles' brains are not fully developed and can be rehabilitated.

2. Juveniles could be in serious danger while in adult prison.

V. There are many things at stake regarding the issue of whether or not juveniles should get

tried as adults.

A. If juveniles do get tried as adults and go to the adult court system, they face many

issues and completely lose the chance of ever getting better.

1. Juveniles tried as adults commit more crimes when released from prison due

to the lack of education, giving them opportunity and incentive to commit

more crimes.

2. They will most likely never get better, have lifetime effects and it throws

away any hope for change.

B. If juveniles do not get tried as adults, it can be for the better or for the worse

depending on the juvenile in question.

1. Juveniles can go through rehabilitation and change for the better, not commit

any more crimes. Their maturity was low when they committed the crime.

2. Juveniles could commit more crimes as a result of getting away with it the

first time.

C. When juveniles do or do not end up getting tried as adults, there are still many

things at stake for both sides, jailtime or not.