Consequences for Juveniles

When it comes to committing the crime of murder, should age determine how you are tried? If you are old enough to kill someone, you are old enough to handle the consequences of your actions. Do we as society want a murderer on our streets? I'm a firm believer of the punishment should fit the crime. If a murder is committed, the person who does the crime should be held accountable and face punishment for murder, regardless of age. I have a personal tie to this issue, my cousin was shot and killed in May of 2010, 14 year-old juvenile committed the crime.

My cousin, Julio, had just turned 17 years old on the 6th of May in 2010. It was Memorial Day afternoon, when he was standing with friends in an alleyway a few blocks from my Grandparents house (where he lived) when he was gunned down by a 14 year-old. He died instantly. This tragedy is also connected to another shooting that happened prior to Julio's shooting, luckily the victim in that case was shot but his injury wasn't life threatening. The suspect was arrest for both shooting, and was held in a detention facility throughout his trial. (Alzola & Kirkpatrick, 2010)

Levi Gonzales entered an Alford Plea two days before he was to stand trial on several felonies, including my cousin's murder. (McFadden, 2011) An Alford Plea, is when the criminal defendant does not admit the act, but admits that the prosecution could likely prove the charge. The court will pronounce the defendant guilty. (US Legal, n.d.) I didn't attend the trial, my cousin Mercedes (Julio's little sister), kept me up to date each day. She said the 14 year-old never once showed any remorse for what he did and his criminal history is quite extensive. He ended up receiving a 14 year sentence in jail, which to my family and I, was a slap in the face.

Some people may say that some juveniles do not have the mental capability to understand their actions or consequences. To this I say the name James Bulger, the little two-year-old boy named James Bulger, from Liverpool who was abducted and murdered by 2 ten-year-old boys? It was February 12, 1993, Friday early afternoon (Scott, S.L., Pg. 1, Para. 1), James was shopping with his mother when he wandered off with two boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson both ten-years old. The boys had skipped school and went to the same shopping center as James and his mother. Little James was tortured till the moment of his death, he was "picked up and dropped on his head" (Scott, S.L., Pg.: 3, Para. 2)," kicked and punched him along the way" (Scott, S.L., Pg. 3, Para. 19). They flung pain into James' eye, he cried, the boys then threw stones, beat him bricks and then finally and iron bar (Scott, S.L., Pg. 3, Para. 21). James' body was discovered on train tracks; Jon and Robert were eventually charged with the crime and were sentenced to 8 years in custody. After their realease in 2001, they were given new identities and free to live their lives. In July of 2010, a probation officer went to Jon's house and discovered child pornography on