news-record.com

Of course children of this age know right from wrong. At issue at this age is their ability to think situations through and make non-emotional, mature decisions. There are teens charged as adults after many confrontations with the law throughtout their early teen years. Perhaps it is time for some of these young adults to pay the piper in hopes of preventing their behavior from escalating further. But there are also teens who have toed the line up to this point in their lives. In their headstrong, hormonal quest to buck authority, or impress their "friends", they cross the line, are charged as adults, and with one blink of an eye, stigmatize themselves for life. For some of these young adults, the transgression maybe severe enough to warrant such branding. But for those whose actions are a little lower on the crime totem pole, the opportunity to receive punishment with a less-permanent scar might allow them to realize the second-chance they are being given and become a more productive citizen.

Two cases of 17 year olds committing first degree murder come to me. One was involved in the case of Eve Carson the UNC student body president killed a couple of years ago, plus the killing of a Duke student as well. The other case was the Virginia and Maryland beltway sniper killings from back in 2002. Both 17 year olds are said to have participated as shooters, yet are not able to get the death penalty. The latter case has already been determined with a life sentence, while here in NC the other case has not yet gone to trial. Plus here in NC there is a mess presently where Gov. Bev doesn't want to let out some serving life sentences for getting out for good behavior, yet throwing a Christmas party and inviting others with similar backgrounds just last week.

I am unsure of the letter writer's contention that NC is the only state in the nation that treats 16 and 17 year olds as adults considering what I had heard of only the oldest shooter of Eve Carson potentially being tried with death penalty attached.

Knowing right from wrong is a very basic concept. I'm not talking about any level of problem solving ability, simple right from wrong...the same test that is applied to the insane defense. It doesn't matter how low functioning they are, and what the causes were. If you want to take that approach you'd have to apply sentencing guidelines based on the defendant's personal history, on a case by case basis. It's absurd to imagine a punishment based on how little guidance they were given as a child growing up.

I understand all too well what juveniles are capable of and just how well thought out the criminal activity of 16-17 years olds is. I see it up close and personal almost everyday. In fact, based on my experience I would prosecute all criminals under the same guidelines, with no special and reduced juvenile sentencing at all. Any criminal age 13-17 could simply be housed in a juvenile facility. The current juvenile system does nothing but embolden young criminals into thinking they can get away with crime, suffering only a relative slap on the wrist. The current system actually ENCOURAGES criminal activity among juveniles due to the pathetic consequences handed down in juvenile court.

I know these things because I've seen it. I've investigated juvenile crime, followed through cases in the juvenile system, dealt with and talked to juvenile offenders, and heard first hand, straight from juvenile offenders' mouths what a joke they think the system is. They continue their activity, cause havoc and grief at home, their parent(s) get completely frustrated because the juvenile system doesn't make a difference, and they ultimately learn how to be better criminals while everyone else plays patty cake with them. These kids laugh at the process and people like the letter writer, and I don't blame them.