[Chaossaber314]

As per usual, I support a somewhat blanket reform of our lower judiciary with an emphasis on oversight panels in order to keep them accountable for their rulings. Similarly, I think that the discretion to try a child as an adult should exist for some of the more serious crimes.

While a child may not be totally mature before 18, many studies show that most individuals don't even reach maturity until around 24-25. So if we relied completely on the age of average maturity and stated that no person lacking in maturity could be tried as an adult, there would be even fewer people being sent to prison hiding behind this.

The fact is that at some point in your life you have to be accountable for your actions and you should know better. If a 15 year old robs a liquor store and shoots a security guard of a strip mall parking lot on the way out, I say send him to prison with the other monsters. Hell, in St. Louis, we just had an incident regarding a minor 14 or 15 who murdered a cop in cold blood. Then we have a month of editorials about how this is a tragedy for the child. To hell with the child who knowingly and illegally obtained a firearm and used it to snuff out the life of another human being who was doing nothing wrong. What about the cop's family? Is it not a tragedy for his kids? At what point did our society become so ingrained in this idea of "blaming the victim"?

You know what? There are some criminals who are just as tiny, just as weak if not more so than your average 17-18 year old. They aren't exempt from prison because of some misplaced internal view of an elementary schooler being put into a cell with gang bangers.

Prison life is terrible, but it takes a great deal to be put there as a minor.

All you have to do is NOT be a douche bag.

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I didn't really consider your argument very convincing but when it comes to Criminal Justice stuff (or just about anything else), I'm very opinionated.