I'm surprised it's up to the DA to decide whether a person under 18 is tried as an adult. I always just assumed there was judicial review of such things.
Is it really true that we're the ONLY country that treats some juvenile offenders as adults?
Posted by Lissande (Member # 350) on :
Some countries do define "adult" quite differently than the US - around these parts, the age of sexual consent and responsibility under the law is 15. It's true that they don't make any exceptions like the US does, though.
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
That's pretty messed up. I also thought it had to go through a judicial review.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
I'm surprised it's up to the DA, and I understand the objection to it. It EDIT: MIGHT be better if it were not up to the DA. Also, the facts of Erik Jensen's case as presented seem very unfortunate, since there seem to be mitigating circumstances. If it's all presented accurately, I hope he gets another chance in appeals court. That's what appeals court is for, in any case: to right injustices committed in court.
However, my sympathy is extremely limited, and I suspect the BBC article cherry-picks what it shares with us, in terms of previous offenses and background. (I suspect this because the article makes its bias clear with its melodramatic title, the implicit criticism of the US for having children jailed as adults at all, and the sympathetic descriptions of all the particular crimes described, such as the "accidental shooting of another youth.") In general, I am all for young perpetrators of heinous crimes being tried as adults.
I suspect I have come into contact with more young thugs and violent criminals than most, and this certainly colors my view. They often make it clear that they are aware they will likely not face a strong consequence for their actions, due to their status as minors. I think if you commit adult-sized crimes, you should face adult-sized penalties.
As I think about this some more, if it is a political "slam dunk" for an elected DA to try a young murderer as an adult, isn't that indicative that it is the will of the people that this be done? Is that so wrong, then--that the people's will be enforced?