JUvenile Death Penalty - Essay Example

The concern remains unresolved. Provided with information regarding the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult criminal court, it is safe to assume that these juvenile offenders still obtain substantial considerations from the criminal justice system because of their youthfulness or immaturity. It is quite appropriate to specify or set a certain age bracket wherein a juvenile offender can be tried in court as an adult and can be sentenced to the death penalty for a capital crime committed. There are particular factors that should be considered in handling juvenile delinquents and these factors can go far beyond the scope of academic disciplines.

Hence, the debate if juvenile offenders should be tried as adult in criminal courts or should be sentenced to death for capital offense is still ongoing. Daryl Renard Atkins was arrested and imprisoned for alleged abduction, armed robbery and capital murder. During the penalty stage of the trial of Atkins, the defense depended on a single witness, a forensic psychologist, who attested that Atkins is suffering from a mild bout of metal retardation. The jury decided to send Atkins to the death row, however, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled for a second hearing due to the trial court’s deceptive use of a verdict form.

At the second sentencing hearing the same forensic psychologist played as a witness for the defense, but this time the State invalidated Atkin’s aptitude. Once again, the jury decided to sentence Atkins to death. In confirming, the Supreme Court of Virginia used as a basis the Penry V. Lynaugh which is a similar case as of Atkins, in turning down Atkin’s disputation that he cannot be put to death because of his mild case of mental retardation (Clendenen & Beaser, 2009). Therefore, the question here is, if whether the execution of mentally retarded persons