Super Predator In The Juvenile Justice System

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Juvenile Justice “Predator” is a common title used for vicious animals who ruthlessly annihilate their prey. One would think the phrase “super predator” would be a considerably more abominable depiction. However, “super predator” is actually used to describe children who commit heinous crimes. Though both are familiarly used, there is a substantial difference between abhorrent animals and adolescents who are progressively establishing their character. If the juvenile justice system was to try adolescents as adults, they could possibly be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, hindering them from receiving a sufficient opportunity for recovery and redemption. The crimes committed by juveniles may be nefarious; however, the Supreme Court wisely ruled that sentencing a juvenile to life in prison without the possibility of parole is cruel and unusual punishment because it is unjust to ruin the rest of an individual’s life due to a naive decisions they made as a child. There are a plethora of factors that contribute to the dexterity of decision making for an adolescent. The human brain is not thoroughly developed until age 25, which suggests that individuals under the age of 18 have a highly undeveloped brain and cannot …show more content…
According to Mental Health America, a child needs unconditional love, encouragement, and appropriate discipline from their family to be considered mentally healthy. Many juvenile crime occurrences evolve due to not acquiring these essential developmental necessities. The mental instability caused by the provisional absence of a child’s emotional needs must be accounted for when examining a juvenile’s desire or willingness to partake in criminal activity. Punishment does not address the root of the problem, but rather barely skims the surface. These mentally unstable youth need to be counseled and emotionally aided to truly elucidate the
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