What mitigating factors contribute to juveniles being charged as adults - Research Paper Example

15-16). This procedure is based on the assumption that juveniles require help and reformation to grow into responsible citizens of the country and must receive such assistance instead of punishment. This is also because children or young adults will lose highly valuable time that they could have been spending in gaining a proper education and other healthy activities essential for their future livelihood serving prison time. Hence, under such circumstances, juveniles are given shorter prison terms or more flexible punishments compared to adults who are held fully accountable for their actions and crimes and are kept in proper state prisons rather than rehabilitation centers (Torbet, pp. 20-22). Moreover, adult prisons may have certain problems within them, which include sexual offences, use of drugs, harsh treatment, and exposure to many evils in society, which is not a suitable environment for someone of a tender age.

It is likely to do them more harm than good to expose them to such aspects of adult prisons and allow them full interaction with adult prisoners that are likely to have a highly negative impact upon their unripe brains and personalities. Juveniles who are exposed to such aspects may receive psychological shock or may be fully harassed in adult prisons, which would completely ruin their chances at a normal life in the future. Usually, juveniles receive less punishment for smaller crimes such as theft or use of drugs and other such offenses.

They usually confront punishments, such as community service, attendance of rehabilitation centers, or sent to juvenile delinquent prisons for a short period. They may also undergo periods of probation or other terms to serve sentences or to report their progress as responsible citizens of the country (Steinberg & Scott, pp. 1009-1013). While such procedures are encouraged to promote future well-being of the child/young adult and to give them a fair opportunity at living normal and healthy