The upfront article, "Rethinking Juvenile Justice" is about the controversy over whether to try and punish child offenders as adults. Being tried as an adult means that kids could get life in prison without parole or even the death penalty. These punishments should not be available for children. Many states have already made an effort to get kids and teens out of the adult justice system.
Studies have shown that teenagers brains are not fully developed. Therefore the decisions they make are not always the ones the would make as an adult. In the text it says, "Research has shown that a persons actions at age 13 or 14 are a poor indication of the kind of adult they will become." In the text it also says, "Ninety percent of teen offenders do not become adult criminals." This is why children and teens should not be tried as adults.
On the other hand, it would be unfair to the victims of crimes committed by teen offenders if they went unpunished. In the text it says, "For crimes like murder and rape, that is grossly unjust to the next victim." Still, teens should not be sentenced to life without parole or death. They should always be given a chance to change.
In conclusion, children and teens should never be tried as adults. People under 18 don't have fully developed brains that are reliably capable of making the best long term choices. People can always change. Sentencing them to life in prison or death takes away all possibility of this.
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