"Seventeen is a confounding age--for juveniles, parents and the legal system. For example, in every state, a 17-year-old is legally barred from purchasing liquor, can obtain a learner's permit to drive, and is able to join the military with parental permission."
What is the difference between juvenile and adult court? The main difference is juvenile court focuses on the juvenile and rehabilitation, and adult court focuses on the crime and the consequence. Also, in the juvenile system all records are confidential, in the adult system all records are public. This would have a large impact on youth when they try to apply for jobs and education.
"We're giving up on kids when we say that punishment is the only option and there is no hope for rehabilitation."
It is also important to note that recidivism is higher once youth have gone through the adult system than they are for youth who have gone through the juvenile justice system. Since the juveniles have spent so much time with older adults who commit crimes they are more likely to be "sexually and physically victimized."
I just don't understand why we are continuing to convict 17-year-olds (and even younger kids) as adults knowing the consequences that come from doing so. Youth in the adult system can learn negative behaviors from adults in the system. The article mentioned youth are also more likely to complete suicide while incarcerated. Kids in the adult system are being abused and taken advantage of by adults in the system. Even with all of this information, we continue to punish rather than rehabilitate. Research even shows that youth who are placed in the adult system are more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system in the future than those who are placed in the juvenile system. It is absurd that we treat some youth as adults when we know their brains are not fully developed until some time in their 20's. This has always made me wonder, how can we treat 18-year-olds as adults knowing their brains are not fully developed? Hopefully the remaining states who have not will pass laws to move 17-year-olds through the juvenile system rather than the adult system.
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