Question

Can someone please help me get started on this editorial??

I have to write and editorial on this focus question.
Focus Question — Should the courts treat minors the same as adults when they are accused of serious crimes?

Answer 1

Here is what the assessment page says, "Imagine your state is having voters decide the issue of whether to allow juveniles to be tried and sentenced as adults. The local newspaper has asked students in your course to submit an article on the topic to give minors a voice in the debate. The editor explains that your audience includes voting adults who may be undecided on the issue. Your job is to write a persuasive article to convince them to your side.

Your article will be graded on content and quality. Be sure to use facts and quotes where appropriate to explain or justify your claim. Relate court cases that you have learned about to each other and refer to what you have learned in lessons. You may use this template to organize your article.

Focus Question — Should the courts treat minors the same as adults when they are accused of serious crimes?"

But I'm not sure how to start

Answer 2

The template is no help at all!

Answer 3

Here is one way you can start but maybe change the words around. Look up these references for help:

Hansen, M. (2010, July). What’s the matter with kids today. ABA Journal. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.

Jailing juveniles. (2008). Corrections Forum 17(4), 52-57. Retrieved Dec. 16, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database

Murrie, D.C., Henderson, C.E., Vincent, G.M., Rockett, J.L., & Mundt, C. (2009). Psychiatric symptoms among juveniles incarcerated in adult prison. Psychiatric Services 60(8), 10921097. Retrieved Dec. 16, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.


Should people less than eighteen years old (minors/juveniles/adolescents) ever be tried and sentenced as adults?
The legislation of trying and sentencing youth criminals under adult justice system has been a hot topic of debate. Supporters of tough laws on insist the need to enforce harsh penalties to uphold justice. The practice of treating youth criminals as adults since the 1990s is a result of the steep rise in youth crimes. However, youth advocates argue that tough laws should not be applied to youth offenders anymore. The core issue of the controversy is whether, because adolescents are biologically and mentally different from adults, they should be treated differently. For minor offenses such as property crime in which nobody is killed, it is understandable that harsh punishments are not necessary. But there need to be tougher penalties for severe crimes that threaten and take others’ lives. Hence, juveniles under eighteen years old who commit violent crimes such as murder and rape should be tried and sentenced as adults in order to punish them for their mistakes, to lower the crime rates and to protect the society.

Answer 4

yes