Do you think that teen gang members should be tried as adults? Do you think that teens who commit crimes should be tried as adults? Why or why not?

I don't think that they should be tried as adults because they are just making mistakes. Everyone will make mistakes now and then, therefore, a teenager should not be tried as an adult. Also, teens are just that... teens. Only people ages 18 and over are considered adults.

I'd be in favor of it.. it is not as if the teens in these gangs considered the consequences of their actions before joining the gang, and subsequently committed a crime.. at least now, they'd have to.

These teens out here raping, maiming, robbing, and killing people know what they are doing.. that is why they do it.. they know that they will get a reduced sentence, or wont be tried as adults when they commit the crimes, and that is why they do it.

Otherwise, if the teen knows that there is a very real possibility of them getting the death penalty for crimes committed, then there is no way in hell they are going to commit them.

But, if they know that they will be given a reduced-sentence because of their age, then they are going to continue committing the crimes.

These kids are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, when they decide to join the gangs in the first place, so they are old enough to pay the consequences of their actions.

You can't be an adult, and commit a crime and then turn around and be a child when you don't want to deal with the consequences of your actions.. life just doesn't work that way.

That said, if these kids are old enough to do the crime, then they are old enough to do the time.

Simple as that.

At 16 you can get your license, which means you are responsible enough for your actions to command a 1 ton vehicle in speeds in the excess of 10 mph / 15 kph. Thus it shows that you have the mental capacities to understand just what the f*** your doing. If you are not fit to have your license (medical issues or mental issues then that is slightly different.) But still as long as they can tell what is right and what is wrong, there is no excuse.

So if a teen joins a gang and then gets in trouble, they know what they're doing. And repeat offenders really tick me off, cause they were in trouble before... and yet here they are again ? give me a break. They know what they are doing is wrong and they do it anyway. It was a conscious choice for them to do what they did, it wasn't like they did it in their sleep.

Actually I was watching CSI and there was a case that got to me. These Kids, killed this other kid (all under 18) and they were using this girl who was ALSO in on it as bait. And You know what. That entire episode, the teens bought up how they were under the age of 18 and they Will get reduced sentence, but you know what, at the end of the show the girl who was caught said this "That's OK. Two dead parents, life of frustration, I dress up pretty nice. A Beret here, nice little dress. tears down my eyes, and the jury will eat it up." and the girl was 16 and the kids who did it were all 15/16

In that instance they would not want me on their jury panel.. their asses would fry..

But seriously though, it is really fucked up that you have teens that commit crimes and get away with it.. throughout the country, more and more teens are commiting heinous crimes, and they get a slap on the wrist.. just reacently, 4 teens were found guily of killing a homeless man.

about 2 weeks before, 4 teens were charged in the shooting death of a father of 2. They killed him on his front lawn and drove off.. a neighbor called the cops after she spotted him lying in the grass while his 2 year old son slept beside him.

And sadly the list goes on..