Essay Sample on Juvenile Crime

Should juveniles be charged as adults? Should juveniles be able to receive life sentences? That is the age-old question that has yet to be answered. In cases of juvenile murders such as Columbine and Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, the answer is a mixed blur between adult/ juvenile crime. Situation like these are why the discussion if juveniles can receive a life sentence or death penalty. In my opinion, I believe that depending on the culprit's decision making, variables affecting their life (environment, etc), and crime should be put into the equation when trying to determine the outcome of their sentence. In my essay I’ll be addressing the Columbine Shooters, Stoneman Douglas, and Oxford High School shooting. I will be analyzing the severity of crimes, variables, and the consequences of such wrongdoings.

Stoneman Douglas High School: On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. Transcript of interview after the shooting. The severity of the damage done was heartbreaking for the victims. Due to his actions seventeenth we’re killed and another seventeen left with lasting scars, physical and mental. Parents suddenly without children, students rallying for gun control by day and dealing with panic attacks at night, first responders denounced for the choices they made amid the chaos. What’s to justify his actions? Nikolas Cruz explained to the judge that the reason why he committed such an atrocity was due to his past, bullying, and red flags showing anger issues, and poor impulse control. During the interview Nicholas pleaded insanity, saying that the “demons” told him to do it. His case is still in the process of being finalized, his final sentence is still in the air for decision. Cruz pleaded guilty on October 20th, to 17 counts of attempted murder. The 12 jurors will determine if he should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. His next hearing is not decided yet, it is determined to be pushed until February. Due to Nikolas’s sentence not being determined yet, I cannot give a solid answer on what the outcome of his actions say. The Stoneman Douglas High School shooting will become a prime example of juvenile crimes, however the outcome of his case may be it still brings up the question. Do juveniles deserve the death penalty due to their crimes? I believe in the case of Nicholas Cruz he deserves the death penalty without parole. The severity of his actions are shown. Our next case is the Oxford High School Shooting, and its impact on juvenile sentences.

Oxford High School Shooting: On November 30, 2021, Ethan Crumbley a 15 year old shot up his high school, Oxford High School. Shooting 11 people. Four students were killed and several others were left critically and seriously injured. His was charged with one count of terrorism causing death and four counts of first-degree murder, which could lead to a life sentence if he is convicted. His parents were also charged with manslaughter charges against his parents due to gifting him a semiautomatic handgun for him as a Christmas gift. Ethan showed signs of being upset days and moments before his shooting. It is reported that teachers found a note he had drawn, with images of a gun, a person who had been shot and a laughing emoji, and the words, “Blood everywhere,” and, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” The day before the shooting, a teacher had seen Ethan searching online for ammunition for the gun in class, which led to a meeting with school officials. This case is tricky. Should Ethan serve life with no parole for the crimes he committed or does he show signs of being a troubled teenager who needs professional help? The outcome of these cases are tricky, there’s no line that depicts a juvenile delinquents as a troubled person or outright not a good person who deserves to be locked up for their crimes. Additionally, is it possible that the adults in Ethan's life could have done a better job at monitoring him, are his parents to blame for buying the weapon used in the shooting? My opinion on this case is this. Ethan should serve time for the crimes he has committed, but not life. The damage he’s done to his community is done, the pain he chased can not be erased nor can it be ignored and hopefully gets forgotten in time. I personally believe that the adults in Ethans life could have done a better job at monitoring him, not negatively influencing him into thinking that taking action was the ok to say out, but persuade Ethan to get professional help. Hopefully cases like these do not continue. I believe teenagers that are troubled into taking such violent actions are forgiven over time, but should still take responsibility for what they have done and serve time.

Columbine Shooters: For this case I decided to do last. The Columbine Shooting, known as one of the first school shootings, but also the most impactful one. The Columbine shooting happened on April 20, 1999, Littleton, Colorado. Two teens went on a shooting spree, killing 13 people and wounding more than 20 others, before turning their guns on themselves and committing suicide. The two shooters are Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17. Transcript of case: This case just like many others caused tremendous amounts of pain to the friends and family affected. This case is still brought up today, there is also an occult rumor that school shootings are more prevalent on the anniversary of this shooting. The speculation and environment revolving around the Columbine case is a massive mess, but the main focus is why did the Columbine shooters commit such an atrocity? It is said that the shooters did what they did due to the trench mafia creation and bullying. But the Columbine shooting was just a simple shooting. It was first supposed to be a school bombing, but turned into a shooting after the attackers plan failed. It is said that Harris was a psychopath, and the driving force of the attack. Apparently both kids grew up in a harsh environment, does that void they’re sentences if they 're still here with us? What do you think the shooter's sentence should be? In my opinion I would say that they deserve life in prison for what they did. The damage runs deep in this case.

To conclude my essay is this. I believe that juveniles should be able to get served the death penalty, but there are many variables that need to be determined before coming to a close on the juveniles sentence. In the cases I shared today a lot of them have such drastic variables that it is hard for some of these kids to stay on a good path when negative influences are in their daily life. I personally think that attention towards mental health in teens' lives. It is sad to think how events could’ve been avoided if kids who are going through a rough time had the resources to get help. Juvenile mental health is important to focus on. Hopefully as time goes on kids and teenagers have the option to getting help mentally.