Essay on Adolescent Criminal Justice: Legal and Developmental Analysis

This essay examines the contentious issue of whether adolescents should be tried as adults, delving into the legal and developmental aspects that inform this debate. The introduction presents a thesis statement arguing for the need to consider teenagers as adults in certain criminal cases, setting the stage for a detailed exploration of cognitive, physical, and moral development. The main body of the essay provides a comprehensive analysis of these developmental stages, drawing on theories like Piaget's cognitive development and Kohlberg's stages of moral development, as well as real-world examples like the Skylar Neese murder case. The essay also references scholarly articles and online resources to support its arguments. The conclusion reiterates the key factors that support trying teenagers as adults to control offenses and hold juveniles accountable for their actions.

Should Adolescents Be Tried As Adults?
Justify Your Answer Based On Research And
Theory Relating To Physical, Cognitive And
Moral Development

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Thesis statement: To debate on changing prospects of life that should adolescents be tried as
adults............................................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................2
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
Adolescents are undoing numerous societal changes according to which the individuals are
getting involved in serious offences because of which Teenagers should be tried as adults. The
discussion will outline three main aspects of topic that is cognitive, physical and moral
development of juveniles which will helps in deriving why the individuals needs to be treated as
adults.
Thesis statement: To debate on changing prospects of life that will help in determining reason
why adolescents need be tried as adults
MAIN BODY
Teenagers undergo numerous changes while growing for which it is necessary for which
cognitive, moral and physical development plays a crucial role. Morality among adolescent
represents one’s guidelines and principles which rules the person entire life which can be wrong
or right.
Cognitive development denoting reason of treating adolescents as adults
Cognitive development of minors denotes individual ability to reason and act in certain
situation which depends of inclusion of teenagers with different kind of people or family
surroundings (Steinberg and Piquero, 2010). Piaget theory of cognitive development depicts
clear understanding why adolescents need to treated as adults. As per the theory nature and
knowledge of human beings gradually develops on the basis of their construct and societal
inclusion. In accordance with this theory cognitive development of individual is completely
depends of person choice, opinion and perception and therefore adolescents needs to treated as
adult.
Physical development denoting reason of treating adolescents as adults
Physical growth is an age from childhood to adulthood which is significant to many
changes like, sensitivity to different situations, risk taking, personal identity and social influence.
In accordance with these three major factors it can be said that Juveniles need to be treated as
adults.
For example, murder of Skylar Neese, 16-year-old girl who disappeared on 6 July, 2016
from her home city around mid-night. She was murdered by her two best friends Rachel Shoaf
and Shelia Eddy. The break in case came after 6 months when one of the Juvelines offerder
Rachel Shoaf admitted that both friends took Skylar to remote area in Pennsylvania and knifed
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her to death (Skylar Neese, 2015). Apparently, example denotes the needs of trying adolescents
as adults because there are various factors of cognitive and physical development where the
teenager’s experiences traumatic experiences like death of close friend or family member, sense
of violence or physical or sexual abuse because which the Juveniles become vulnerable and
commit crimes.
Moral development denoting reason of treating adolescents as adults
According to Veneziano and Veneziano, (2018) moral development in adolescent
criminals reflects the need of considering teenagers as adults. For developing critical
understanding over the fact the scholar sampled 411 Juveniles male offenders. The information
was collected to measure on Morality- Immorality scale on various grounds that is intellectual
ability, education, behaviors ad personality. In accordance with analysis, the scholar concluded
by stating that majority of adolescent offenders are involved in unethical activity due to own
personality, intellectual ability and behavioral concerns. Further, the research reflects family
pathology is negatively correlated to scores of MIS scale. Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral
development depicts clear reason why adoescesnats needs to treated as adults. The moral
development of teenagers is based three aspects that is preconventional, conventional and
postconventional. As per conventional reasoning indiual action needs to judged on the baiss of
views and opinions of society. In accordance with theory the morailty among human beings
starts developmeing at the age of 5 to 9 according to which it is justified that juvelniles can be
treated as adults.
On the contrary, Houstan and Texas, (2010) denotes that increasing rate of crisis is because
of Juveniles criminals committing adult offences. The individuals are punished for short duration
and are relived to live happy and peaceful lives. It is argued that no matter the age the criminals
should not be given second chance because it gives them privilege of committing additional
crime which creates unsafe environment for society. In accordance with it is outlined that
teenagers need to tried as adults to make them accountable for their actions.
CONCLUSION
The report concluded with different factors which implies the need of trying teenagers as
adults in order to control offences and to make Juveniles responsible for own actions.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Steinberg, L., & Piquero, A. R. (2010). Manipulating public opinion about trying juveniles as
adults: An experimental study. Crime & Delinquency. 56(4). 487-506.
Veneziano, C., & Veneziano, L. (2018). Correlates of moral development in juvenile
delinquents. American Journal of Criminal Justice. 13(1). 97-116.
Online
Houstan & Texas. (2010). Teens Should Absolutely Be Tried as Adults When They Commit Adult
Crimes. [Online]. Available through: <
http://www.teenink.com/opinion/social_issues_civics/article/162031/Teens-Should-
Absolutely-Be-Tried-as-Adults-When-They-Commit-Adult-Crimes/>.
Skylar Neese. (2015). [Online]. Available through: < https://skylarneesemurder.com/>.
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