There's reason you can't vote until you're 18, can't drink until you're 16, 18 or 21 and can't drive a car until you're 16 or 18. The law accepts that minors will think and behave differently from adults. They can't handle as much responsibility or make rational decisions like adults. If they could, we wouldn't need these restrictions. This is the same reason why the law should be applied differently to minors when it comes to criminal punishment.

 

 

 

Teenagers can accept the same responsiblity, and some act like adults. I my best friend is basicly the man of the household at 16, he can take care of his sick family (3 siblings and his mother) and also tries to keep everything around the house neat and fixed, while still going to school and maintaining an 80% avarage. You think people like this arent capabable of being responsable?

 

 

 

On the other hand, yes many teens can act like idiots and cannot handdle resonsiblities (but thats mostly due to how they act). A teenagers brain is run mainly on emotion, and very little rational thinking.

 

Yes there are exceptions, and I don't know what stance you're taking, but we're talking about an age that groups the whole population into two categories. Special instances obviously have to be ignored - otherwise it's a big mess determining if someone has the mindset of an adult or not.

 

 

 

 

I'm not saying the line has to be at 13. I'm just saying that the line has to be somewhere and the age 18 seems too high.

 

That's your personal opinion based on experiences with people you have around that age - personally at my school there are plenty of 17 year olds that still don't have an ounce of common sense. 18 has always been that year of adulthood and fits fine with what we currently have.

 

Teenagers can accept the same responsiblity, and some act like adults. I my best friend is basicly the man of the household at 16, he can take care of his sick family (3 siblings and his mother) and also tries to keep everything around the house neat and fixed, while still going to school and maintaining an 80% avarage. You think people like this arent capabable of being responsable?

 

 

 

On the other hand, yes many teens can act like idiots and cannot handdle resonsiblities (but thats mostly due to how they act). A teenagers brain is run mainly on emotion, and very little rational thinking.

 

 

 

I don't understand, what side are you on?

IMO, if they're a repeat offended, they should be punished like an adult.

 

I don't care if they're 7 or 17. When you go out and continually do things punishable by law, you should have to pay for it.

 

 

 

 

 

There are too many minors out there who openly abuse the fact they can't be touched.

IMO, if they're a repeat offended, they should be punished like an adult.

 

I don't care if they're 7 or 17. When you go out and continually do things punishable by law, you should have to pay for it.

 

 

 

There are too many minors out there who openly abuse the fact they can't be touched.

 

 

 

Maybe instead of punishing these people like adults we try to stop them from repeating their actions. How many seven year olds from stable familys continually kill people? Obviousley something is wrong if they do so lets try to fix up their life instead of ending it. Kids don't deserve to be punished like adults because they are still very bendable. If their outlook on life and humans can be changed they will act well.

 

 

 

 

 

Off topic: I think this for all ages. What problems does the death penalty and life in prision solve? None. It is really just a form of revenge for those affected. Why not make them a better person instead?

I think anyone over the age of 13/14 should be treated legally as an adult,when i was 13 I knew that if i were to stab someone with a knife it would be bad,I knew if i were to continually hit them over the head with a lead pipe they would die.

:oops: Yes guess i should of clarrified what side im on. Im for teenagers going to jail. Im only 16, and if i murderd someone, id hope the polie had enough sense to put my in jail for life.

 

 

 

And as for the age barrier, of course a 5 year old who really doesnt know beeter and accidently stabes their mother or someething shouldnt be punished, but by the age of about 13 i think people should know what the right and wrong thing in society is.

:oops: Yes guess i should of clarrified what side im on. Im for teenagers going to jail. Im only 16, and if i murderd someone, id hope the polie had enough sense to put my in jail for life.

 

 

 

And as for the age barrier, of course a 5 year old who really doesnt know beeter and accidently stabes their mother or someething shouldnt be punished, but by the age of about 13 i think people should know what the right and wrong thing in society is.

 

The age is at 18 for a reason. At 18 you're not an adult. Should drinking ages and driving ages be brought down to 13 too? No - it's possible a large percentage of the population is mature enough at 13, but not everyone - the law has to apply to everyone. Your thoughts may have been mature enough at 13, your friends thoughts may have too, but not enough people are at that age. Technically speaking the age should be drawn at 19-21 because that's when a brain stops developing, but 18 is a good enough age that's been used for a long time and works fine.

:oops: Yes guess i should of clarrified what side im on. Im for teenagers going to jail. Im only 16, and if i murderd someone, id hope the polie had enough sense to put my in jail for life.

 

 

 

And as for the age barrier, of course a 5 year old who really doesnt know beeter and accidently stabes their mother or someething shouldnt be punished, but by the age of about 13 i think people should know what the right and wrong thing in society is.

 

The age is at 18 for a reason. At 18 you're not an adult. Should drinking ages and driving ages be brought down to 13 too? No - it's possible a large percentage of the population is mature enough at 13, but not everyone - the law has to apply to everyone. Your thoughts may have been mature enough at 13, your friends thoughts may have too, but not enough people are at that age. Technically speaking the age should be drawn at 19-21 because that's when a brain stops developing, but 18 is a good enough age that's been used for a long time and works fine.

 

 

 

Where did drinking and driving come in. No i seriously still think 13 for just law breaking. People should know right from wrong in society. What would you want done to lets say a 14 yera old kid who killed your parents, and knew what he/she was doing? Most teenagers i know, do know what they are doing, even if its emotions are driving their actions.

 

 

 

Edit: i do think those with mental disablities should get off slightly easier though (although they should be kept under a carefull watch).

:oops: Yes guess i should of clarrified what side im on. Im for teenagers going to jail. Im only 16, and if i murderd someone, id hope the polie had enough sense to put my in jail for life.

 

 

 

And as for the age barrier, of course a 5 year old who really doesnt know beeter and accidently stabes their mother or someething shouldnt be punished, but by the age of about 13 i think people should know what the right and wrong thing in society is.

 

The age is at 18 for a reason. At 18 you're not an adult. Should drinking ages and driving ages be brought down to 13 too? No - it's possible a large percentage of the population is mature enough at 13, but not everyone - the law has to apply to everyone. Your thoughts may have been mature enough at 13, your friends thoughts may have too, but not enough people are at that age. Technically speaking the age should be drawn at 19-21 because that's when a brain stops developing, but 18 is a good enough age that's been used for a long time and works fine.

 

 

 

Where did drinking and driving come in. No i seriously still think 13 for just law breaking. People should know right from wrong in society. What would you want done to lets say a 14 yera old kid who killed your parents, and knew what he/she was doing? Most teenagers i know, do know what they are doing, even if its emotions are driving their actions.

 

 

 

Edit: i do think those with mental disablities should get off slightly easier though (although they should be kept under a carefull watch).

 

Drinking and driving (different things, not at the same time) come in because they both are set on ages. It doesn't make sense that one should be expected to be punished as an adult but still not be able to drink alcohol or drive - both which require adult judgment.

 

The key word you said is 'most' teenagers you know. The law has to blanket all teenagers, so again, it has to be at a higher age to encompass a higher percentage.

 

And it's not as if teenagers get off without any punishment for murder. They still have to go to some juvenile place for a long long time, and they'll be known for murdering someone so it's not as if their lives are untarnished.

 

Oh and on a side note what's with the 'emotions driving actions' deal? You're talking as if teenagers don't think logically and run solely off of how they feel. Sure a lot have raging hormones but you're giving teens a really stereotypical look.

 

Oh and on a side note what's with the 'emotions driving actions' deal? You're talking as if teenagers don't think logically and run solely off of how they feel. Sure a lot have raging hormones but you're giving teens a really stereotypical look.

 

Becasue I learned at school from one of my teachers (who just happens to spend her spair time reading stuff on teenage brains, and studdying teenagers), that teenage brains are very diffrent compared to adults. They are acutly closer to that of a 2 year old then a 20 year old.

 

 

 

A teenagers frontal lobe is much smaller then the one that controlls their emotions (frontal lobe controls logical thinking and problem solving). Therefore they use their emotions more to make decisions then they do logic.

 

 

 

And dont b eon my case about "beliving what im told". Id belive her, she is a very smart woman.

You got to have a reason to kill someone. A baby who drops a gun and it shoots someone isn't their fault since they got no reason to kill. It didn't know what a gun can do. A 16 year old who gets in a fight with someone and kills them has a reason. What is the reason? Why did the fight start, thats it.

 

You see those teenagers who kill people at their school and kill people for no reason. Maybe because their "emotions" are mad. No, you got to learn how to control your emotions (Star Wars eh?).

 

Mentally Chanlenge or not, everyone is EQUAL.

 

 

 

And to that "Blah Blah told me to do that." Screw that, why you listened to him?

You got to have a reason to kill someone. A baby who drops a gun and it shoots someone isn't their fault since they got no reason to kill.

 

 

 

The same goes for an adult.

 

And how would a baby hold a gun? That's a horrible example, homie.

You got to have a reason to kill someone. A baby who drops a gun and it shoots someone isn't their fault since they got no reason to kill.

 

 

 

The same goes for an adult.

 

And how would a baby hold a gun? That's a horrible example, homie.

 

 

 

 

 

kind like this :lol: :wink:

I had this for a debate topic...the thing is that paretns are influences... so paretns teach u always need a lil push to start something

You got to have a reason to kill someone. A baby who drops a gun and it shoots someone isn't their fault since they got no reason to kill.

 

 

 

The same goes for an adult.

 

And how would a baby hold a gun? That's a horrible example, homie.

 

I meant it dropped and went off and shot someone. Dont you read all posts? :roll:

Teens SHOULD BE tried as adults after they reach the age of 14. By they time you are 14 you have the knowledge to know whats right or wrong. If you decide to break the law you should be tried as an adult.

Teens SHOULD BE tried as adults after they reach the age of 14. By they time you are 14 you have the knowledge to know whats right or wrong. If you decide to break the law you should be tried as an adult.

 

 

 

14 year olds are probably just starting their puberty. So no, they don't have enough knowledge to know what's right or wrong.

 

 

 

Besides, as I said earlier in the thread, depending on the case, people as young as 14 can be tried as adults.

Teens SHOULD BE tried as adults after they reach the age of 14. By they time you are 14 you have the knowledge to know whats right or wrong. If you decide to break the law you should be tried as an adult.

 

 

 

14 year olds are probably just starting their puberty. So no, they don't have enough knowledge to know what's right or wrong.

 

 

 

Besides, as I said earlier in the thread, depending on the case, people as young as 14 can be tried as adults.

 

 

 

So your telling me in grade 9 you didn't know stealing was bad, killing was bad,violence in general was bad and crap like that? If you didn't know that your parents did a terrible job raising you.

 

So your telling me in grade 9 you didn't know stealing was bad, killing was bad,violence in general was bad and crap like that? If you didn't know that your parents did a terrible job raising you.

 

 

 

Why do you think there's a set limit age for driving? drinking? smoking? living alone? having a job?

 

 

 

If you didn't know that when you grow up, your mind changes as well. There's a reason why teenagers are not treated as adults in many cases. If you didn't know that, then your parents did a terrible job raising you, or your school, if you went to any.

 

 

 

I meant adolescence earlier, not puberty.

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolescenc ... dolescents

 

 

 

At this age there is also a greater probability of drug and alcohol use, or mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, eating disorders such as anorexia, and depression. The unstable emotions or lack of emotional intelligence among some adolescents may also lead to youth crime.

 

 

 

 

Stop with the [wagon] comments.

Teens SHOULD BE tried as adults after they reach the age of 14. By they time you are 14 you have the knowledge to know whats right or wrong. If you decide to break the law you should be tried as an adult.

 

 

 

14 year olds are probably just starting their puberty. So no, they don't have enough knowledge to know what's right or wrong.

 

 

 

Besides, as I said earlier in the thread, depending on the case, people as young as 14 can be tried as adults.

 

 

 

So your telling me in grade 9 you didn't know stealing was bad, killing was bad,violence in general was bad and crap like that? If you didn't know that your parents did a terrible job raising you.

 

Obviously they know killing is bad, but in a heat of a situation a young undeveloped mind doesn't think logically.

Well I think you're wrong so I can't help you there.

 

Sorry homie.

 

 

 

ill have to agree, doesnt matter what your age, you have to accept the consequences of your actions.

 

 

 

Imagine a toddler pushing another toddler into a swimming pool because he took his toy. Say the toddler drowned. Do we charge the little kid with murder?

 

at most it would be manslaughter