Analysis of The Apocalypse of Adolescence - Essay Example

When the case is similar to the one in the article, the juvenile death penalty may be imposed, especially when the children show no regret for their actions.

The problem, however, appears to lie in whether the children are given the appropriate moral guidance by their parental figures. Perhaps Vermont is too complacent in its viewpoints that children will naturally evolve into moral adults, thus there is no emphasis given to this aspect of guiding juvenile behaviors. This may have to do with the social class of the Vermont citizens, who are mostly middle- to upper-class and may just instinctively believe that these violent crimes simply could not be committed by their well-to-do sons and daughters. Powers describes the ease of acquiring heroin in the state, which may also contribute to the violent crime ratios and is associated with social class status, as these well-to-do youths can easily afford the drug prices. The team appears to have mixed thoughts about whether the juvenile should be given the death sentence, highlighting the strong division in the country about what to do with juvenile violent crime offenders.

It appears that Powers believes that many of the failures of today's children in these affluent neighborhoods stem from parental complacency and an inability to address that violence and teenage angst occur routinely regardless of their state of origin. Powers, it appears, believes that most of the fault lies with those who are in charge of their failures in molding positive childhood behaviors. In reference, specifically, to the New Hampshire murders, it seems that Powers is linking their murderous intentions with the failure of parents to recognize the difficulties (and respond to them correctly) facing children of these teenage years. It does not appear that Powers considers the death penalty as the proper course of action, rather counseling and parental involvement is the best method.

Powers points out that small towns, like any other city, maintain their fair share of juvenile-related crime, suggesting that the small town is no longer a safe refuge for families looking for a better, safer quality of life. The team shares many of these same feelings, perhaps because we all recognize that crime occurs regardless of the environment. Teens, in Powers' viewpoint, are not well-adjusted due to the daily complications associated with developing a positive self-identity and parents who simply believe that their children are morally and emotionally sound. The team appears to share different viewpoints on why these children go bad, however, it is clear that we all agree that parents and authoritarians need to address teenage-related issues before violent crime becomes the likely outcome. Read More