নমুনা বিস্তারিত

＋Some individuals argue that adolescents who commit serious offences should be imposed the same punishment on them as adults. Although applying strict punishment on juvenile crime offers several benefits for society, due to their developmental stage, I believe that alternative rehabilitation methods can be effectively implemented on them rather than using harsh adult sentences.

On the one hand, it is understandable why certain people argue that juvenile offenders should be held legally accountable as adults for their serious crimes that severely affected society. First of all, almost every serious crime committed also brings equal damage to victims regardless of offenders’ age. the injuries and loss of victims would not diminish just because offenders are still young or adolescents. Therefore, if these punishments are not harsh enough, victims and their families might feel a sense of injustice, which might erode public confidence in the legal system. Furthermore, applying punishment equal to that given to adults might create a powerful deterrent for others. When adolescents acknowledge they would face the same legal standards as adults, they often think carefully about the consequences before taking any serious offence. By contrast, lenient sentences might send the misleading message that youth is a shield against accountability.＋

However, I believe these advantages are outweighed by the limitations when applying the same level of legal responsibilities for young offenders as adults. To begin with, adolescents’ brains are not fully developed, which makes it difficult for them to distinguish between right and wrong behaviours and might lead to detrimental decisions. Specially, the region responsible for decision-making and impulse control is still maturing during teenage years. Therefore, they often act on emotion without realizing lasting consequences, it is inappropriate when applying the same legal standard as adults for young people. Moreover, instead of sentencing juveniles to imprisonment, society could use rehabilitation methods, which yield positive outcomes to teenagers. adolescents often have a greater capacity for behaviour change, rehabilitation rather than retribution might help them acknowledge their mistakes and reduce the likelihood of reoffending. For instance, educational programs and psychological therapy in juvenile reformatories have been shown to successfully reintegrate young offenders back into the community. Therefore, with emotionally immature teenagers, striking a balance between punishment and rehabilitation is an effective method to help them become a contributing member of society.

In conclusion, although adult-like penalties can deter youth crime and acknowledge victims’ suffering, the cognitive development of adolescents justifies a focus on rehabilitation over retribution.