S. population that have a dramatic increase in homicide then those of adults. (Snyder, Sickmund 1999) They can be aware of being only tried as a child and get away with it. .
If the crime the juvenile commits has something to do with drugs, alcohol problems, stealing or a bad addiction they should not be tried as adults. This is something that can be rehabilitated and they can learn not to do in the future. Addictions can be hard, but juveniles do learn from their mistakes and their mind has an endless amount of room to grow. They shouldn't be spending their life behind bars if it is something that can be controlled, and if they did not harm anyone. Homicide is another story, and it leaves a scar on the youth forever.
No real solution has worked in decreasing the rate of juvenile offenders. Rehabilitation is another solution that others are thinking would possibly work instead of having an adult sentence. Don't get me wrong, people do have the will to change, but when it's killing another person there is no reason for change. Rehabilitation is fine, but it would be okay for juvenile offenders that committed a crime such as, stealing, drinking, and doing drugs, but when it comes to a life, it's a completely different story. Steve Chapman believes in rehabilitation and is against juveniles being tried as adults. He believes that giving them adult punishment would be senseless. He wrote: "destroying their lives for the sake of vengeance merely compounds one senseless act of destruction with another." I do not agree with that statement, but I am for rehabilitation. A homicide is a homicide no matter the case being 12 years old or a 30 year old. Killing someone is stealing a life and it will be never seen again. "The juvenile justice system is supposed to concentrate on reforming youthful offenders, not letting them rot behind bars," he says. I mean it does sound bad hearing how someone would have to stay behind bars for a very long time, but also take the other point of view for the relatives of the victim.
