Kids are Kids - Until they Commit Crimes

Kids are Kids—Until They Commit Crimes

It is a vexing question these days for the uner-18 crowd, the group we routinely write off as “only kids.”

It’s a glaring inconsistency that’s getting more glaring by the hour as children as young as 12 and 13 are being charged as adults in America’s courts.

It’s a glaring inconsistency that’s getting more glaring by the hour as children as young as 12 and 13 are being charged as adults in America’s courts.

A California appeals court recently stuck its nose into the quandary of when to charge young offenders as adults, returning that power to judges, not prosecutors.

Before they were even arrested, prosecutors had charged the teenagers, 16 and 17, as adults.

In fact, California voters were so persuaded by tough-on-crime rhetoric, they passed Proposition 21 last March, shifting the power from judges to prosecutors in deciding which juveniles to charge as adults in certain crimes.

In fact, California voters were so persuaded by tough-on-crime rhetoric, they passed Proposition 21 last March, shifting the power from judges to prosecutors in deciding which juveniles to charge as adults in certain crimes.

Research suggests that adolescents squeezed through the adult system are more likely to come out as violent career criminals than similar kids handled on the juvenile side.

Published: March 1, 2001 in the Sacramento Bee

Never mind that he is indisputably 14—12 at the time of “the incident.”

Never mind that he is indisputably 14—12 at the time of “the incident.”

It’s why we fret over their Internet access and fuss about driving privileges.

It’s why we fret over their Internet access and fuss about driving privileges.

That is, until they foul up.

And the bigger the crime, the more eager we are to call them adults.

And the bigger the crime, the more eager we are to call them adults.

It’s a glaring inconsistency that’s getting more glaring by the hour as children as young as 12 and 13 are being charged as adults in America’s courts.

A California appeals court recently stuck its nose into the quandary of when to charge young offenders as adults, returning that power to judges, not prosecutors.

Fine, says Democratic state rep.

Today we are witness to criminal defendants—facing life sentences without parole—who cannot shave, still play with fire trucks and love to act out scenes from television or video games.

Today we are witness to criminal defendants—facing life sentences without parole—who cannot shave, still play with fire trucks and love to act out scenes from television or video games.

Today we are witness to criminal defendants—facing life sentences without parole—who cannot shave, still play with fire trucks and love to act out scenes from television or video games.

Today we are witness to criminal defendants—facing life sentences without parole—who cannot shave, still play with fire trucks and love to act out scenes from television or video games.

On March 9, Lionel Tate—who was 12 when he savagely beat to death a 6-year-old girl—will likely learn if he must spend life in prison after his lawyer unsuccessfully tried to put pro wrestling on trial.

Now 14 and convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, Tate supposedly was imitating his World Wrestling Federation heroes when he pummeled his playmate, less than a third his size.

Now 14 and convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, Tate supposedly was imitating his World Wrestling Federation heroes when he pummeled his playmate, less than a third his size.

Now 14 and convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, Tate supposedly was imitating his World Wrestling Federation heroes when he pummeled his playmate, less than a third his size.

Last month in Sacramento, a 15-yr-old Yuba City youth who reportedly claimed he was mimicking a TV program about little girls who rob a bank was given a 26-years-to-life prison term.

Last month in Sacramento, a 15-yr-old Yuba City youth who reportedly claimed he was mimicking a TV program about little girls who rob a bank was given a 26-years-to-life prison term.

This is not to say that the boys’ crimes were not heinous, or that they should go unpunished.

No one’s talking about coddling here.

But the zeal to corral wildly troubled, ever-younger kids and ram them through the adult system belies everything the juvenile justice system is all about: that kids are different.

This warped vision of America’s youth was given an unfortunate boost with the recent arrest of two seemingly “good kids” in the brutal slayings of two Dartmouth College professors.

This warped vision of America’s youth was given an unfortunate boost with the recent arrest of two seemingly “good kids” in the brutal slayings of two Dartmouth College professors.

Trouble is, statistics don’t bear out the hysteria.

Macallair believes the excitable media have perpetuated and fueled the youth-violence scare of the 1980’s.

Sensibly, the 4th District Court of Appeals in San Diego disagreed, finding that the provision violated the separation-of-powers principle.

Sensibly, the 4th District Court of Appeals in San Diego disagreed, finding that the provision violated the separation-of-powers principle.

Sensibly, the 4th District Court of Appeals in San Diego disagreed, finding that the provision violated the separation-of-powers principle.

Research suggests that adolescents squeezed through the adult system are more likely to come out as violent career criminals than similar kids handled on the juvenile side.

So what, then, to do about Lionel Tate—a kid who apparently still doesn’t understand that “pile-driving” fellow inmates is not a good thing?

Now 14 and convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, Tate supposedly was imitating his World Wrestling Federation heroes when he pummeled his playmate, less than a third his size.

Now 14 and convicted as an adult of first-degree murder, Tate supposedly was imitating his World Wrestling Federation heroes when he pummeled his playmate, less than a third his size.

But the zeal to corral wildly troubled, ever-younger kids and ram them through the adult system belies everything the juvenile justice system is all about: that kids are different.

But the zeal to corral wildly troubled, ever-younger kids and ram them through the adult system belies everything the juvenile justice system is all about: that kids are different.

Their reasoning is not fully developed.

In fact, California voters were so persuaded by tough-on-crime rhetoric, they passed Proposition 21 last March, shifting the power from judges to prosecutors in deciding which juveniles to charge as adults in certain crimes.

The San Diego district attorney has vowed to appeal.

But the fact remains, politics and demagoguery do not make good public policy.

Research suggests that adolescents squeezed through the adult system are more likely to come out as violent career criminals than similar kids handled on the juvenile side.