Safari Coffey
PCA Author
THESIS STATEMENT:
The age of the criminal responsibility should be ten because if we don’t punish them now, they will grow up thinking its right to do bad things, and more of our children will in up dead or in jail.
SOURCE REFERENCE PARAGRAPH:
(P1) Stability, John Reed’s book about creating stable economies, presents a convincing argument for punishing children if their actions are wrong. (P2) John Reed argues that children should be punished for their actions: “These children must be punished so that they learn the true costs of their actions.” (P3) In turn, other teenagers that observe these punishments will not be tempted to commit crimes because they have seen the consequences of their peer’s actions. (P2) Reed argues that if they see what punishment they will get if they commit a crime they will less likely do crimes: “They are less likely to commit further crimes in the future if they know that they will receive a punishment.” (P3) Instead of sending them to jail at such a high age, they need to get the punishment now, so they will learn right from wrong. (P4) In conclusion, while teens think the age of criminal responsibility should be high, I think it should be low.
Monique Reed
THESIS STATEMENT:
The age of criminal responsibility should be sixteen because they should be punished in ways other than jail.
SOURCE REFERENCE PARAGRAPH:
(P1) “Juvenile Law”, Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ information from the state of Tennessee, provides reasonable laws for giving another option to teenagers for committing a crime. (P2)The juvenile law states that if you are underage and commit a crime, then there are other alternatives than going to a cruel, adult place such as jail: “If you are found guilty of a juvenile crime, you may be sent to a reform school or another public institution, placed in a foster home, or returned to your parents and placed on probation or house arrest.” (P3) This creates a win-win situation for everyone. The adolescent is punished, yet they still have an opportunity to make something of themselves and learn from their mistakes. On the plus side, are not locked away in a cage for the majority of their lives. (P2)Punishment is associated with negative connotations so the action that is trying to be accomplished is rehabilitation: “ The main goal of the juvenile justice system is rehabilitation rather than punishment.” (P3)In other words, we want to rehabilitate our children instead of scarring them with the impression that they are awful people.(P4)In all, the age of criminal responsibility should be sixteen because instead of the highest extent of punishment, jail, children can get the help through other alternatives.
