In the united states, juveniles charged with violent felonies ought to be treated as adults in the c

Con I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice, Abraham Lincoln. Because it is that I believe that it is the jobs of the juvenile Justice system to teach juveniles the wrongs of their actions and to help them grow into productive members of society I must negate the resolution: In the united states, juveniles charged with violent felonies ought to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system. Before starting my argument I would like to offer a few definitions Juvenile: According to Cornell University Law School, person who has not attained his eighteenth birthday; Physiologically immature or undeveloped. Violent Felonies: a crime consisting of conduct that presents a serious risk of potential injury to another or that is punishable by imprisonment for more than one year Merriam Webster Justice: the quality of being just, impartial or fair Merriam Webster Ought: used to express a moral obligation Merriam Webster's dictionary. My value for this debate is justice and this value is the most important within this debate because the resolution bases its self in the united states legal system and my criteria is the preservation of human rights. In this debate I will discuss two points First juveniles need to be allowed to rehabilitation Sub point: death penalty has been ruled as cruel and unusual punishment for juveniles Second Juveniles are subject to sexual abuse in state prisons Contention I Juveniles need to be allowed to rehabilitate. According to Cornell University Law School a juvenile is someone who has not reached physiological maturity and therefore they are not psychologically capable to make adult decisions and it would be unjust to treat a juvenile as an adult when he does not have the same mental capacity as one. In the 2002 juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act states that "Congress must act now to reform this program by focusing on juvenile delinquency prevention programs, as well as programs that hold juveniles accountable for their acts and which provide opportunities for competency development" to me this say that there are programs that not only holds juveniles accountable for the actions but also helps them reform and become productive parts of society without the chance to rehabilitation these juveniles will have lost life without having the chance to experience it. Sub point a: the death penalty has been ruled a cruel and unusual punishment. In the supreme court case Roper v. Simmons Oct. 13 2004 the supreme court ruled that the State can exact forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties, but the State cannot extinguish his life and his potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity. Side note life in prison has also been ruled a cruel and unusual punishment in may 2010 according to the New York Times. Contention II Juveniles are subject to sexual abuse in state prisons Consider Rodney Hulin Jr., who was a 16-year-old when he was convicted of arson. A first-time offender with no casualties and a slight figure at 5 feet 2 inches tall and some 125 pounds, he was sent to a men's prison. There, he was the smallest person around. Within a week, he was raped, according to an account by Human Rights Watch, an advocacy group. Rodney asked to be placed in protective custody, but he was denied. His father, Rodney Hulin Sr., picks up the story: "For the next several months, my son was repeatedly beaten by the older inmates, forced to perform oral sex, robbed, and beaten again. ... He could no longer stand to live in continual terror." Rodney Jr. hanged himself. Do you think that it is fair or just to put a juvenile in this position that compromises his right to safety? This is not the only case of abuse in state prisons. More than 16 percent of juveniles in Louisiana prisons report being sexually abused according to the lens July 2010 and this is just one states statistics it is completely unjust and a total violation of human rights to subject children to adult prisons where they can be sexually harassed and abused. Because juveniles need the opportunity to rehabilitate, both the death penalties and life in prison is unjust and because juveniles are subject to sexual abuse in state prisons I must negate the resolution In the united states, juveniles charged with violent felonies ought to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system. If you value justice and human rights vote for the negative. It is the job of the justice system to teach youth the wrongs of their actions and to help them grow into productive members of society. Justice should never be unjust.