Trying Juviniles As Adults Essays - Criminology, Juvenile Court

Trying Juviniles As Adults Essays - Criminology, Juvenile Court Trying Juviniles As Adults Trying Juveniles as Adults and Placing them into Adult Institutions Juveniles being tried as adults, who is to blame? In todays society it is not who or whom it is what. Juvenile offenders are now facing a double-edged sword. Not only can they be tried in a Juvenile court for a crime committed. They are now being charged as adults. Charging a juvenile as an adult has stirred up many different views. When should we say enough is enough? Violent crimes committed by juveniles have become a growing epidemic. The children of today are subjected to violence in popular songs, television shows, and even computer games. Parents having guns accessible to children and the society the child lives in all play a part in the destruction of our youth. Juvenile offenders are now facing tougher punishment for their actions. Juvenile crime is stated as an act committed by a minor that would be considered a crime committed by an adult, such as vandalism, burglary, assault, or murder (Silverstein 11). Juveniles are committing these crimes against families, classmates, and strangers. In many states, a juvenile is any one under the age of eighteen. Young offenders commit these crimes because they feel neglected, that no one cares, and this is a way to get attention. However, professionals say that juvenile offenders commit these crimes due to being abused or even ignored as a child (Valentine). Telling a parent to not ignore, punish, or leave your child home alone or your child could grow to become a criminal, seems severe. Why dont we just tell them how to raise their children? We as a society can not place the blame on a parent the juveniles are the ones at fault. Juvenile crime is dated as far back as the 1600s. Where in the Massachusetts colony, a teenager over sixteen years of age who had cursed at or hit his parents could receive the death penalty (Landau 88). In this time-period, this seemed to be a severe punishment. However, surely it made teenagers think about their actions before acting on them. In the 1880s, immigrants were the source of juvenile crime. Young immigrants were faced with many cultural differences that led them to crimes. Young Immigrant families were starving therefore stealing was their major crime (Landau 89). The juvenile justice system was condemned by society in the 1960s (Landau 89). This would show the first signs of serious juvenile offenders receiving lesser sentences than juveniles who committed minor crimes would. There is no national juvenile justice system in the United States (Landau 90). Each states law on juvenile violence varies. Juvenile crime went on the rise in the 1980-1990s. Murder has been the leading felony among juveniles. However, in 1994, 60% of juvenile offenders who committed murder were African American black men (Silverstein 12). Our legal system has two different court systems. One, Juvenile court is where we hear a lot of our cases on custody battles, child support payments, and even misdemeanors committed by juveniles. Secondly, Adult courts other wise known as Criminal court. This is where adults find out their fate for a crime committed against another. Juvenile Offenders could be tried in both systems. In some cases the prosecutor can file them directly into criminal court. This process is called concurrent jurisdiction. States have another form called statutory exclusion meaning that if the crime committed is serious enough the juvenile will automatically is tried as an adult (Hunzeker). The Juvenile system seemed to be the answer. However, it had flaws. Juvenile offenders are protected from society. The accused does not receive a criminal record for crimes committed. This results in a problem for judges and repeat offenders. If there is no record of their crimes, how will they do the time (Landau 90)? Small portions of cases do not even make it to court (Landau 90). Juvenile offenders are set free for crimes that adults get life in prison. If we set an example like that juvenile violence will continue to rise. Victims are the ones who are suffering. With the inconsistencies of the Juvenile system, a young offender could walk which would be more traumatic for the victim than the crime

Interview with a Dancer - Listening Comprehension

Interview with a Dancer - Listening Comprehension You will hear a man interviewing a famous ballet dancer. Write down the answers to the questions he asks. You will hear the listening twice for the gist. After you have finished, look below for the answers.   Click on this ballet dancer listening quiz to begin.   How long did she live in Hungary?Where was she born?Why wasnt she born in a hospital?What kind of day was her birthday?Was she born in 1930?Did her parents leave Hungary with her?What did her father do?What did her mother do?Why did her mother travel a lot?When did she begin to dance?Where did she study dance?Where did she go after Budapest?Why did she leave her first husband?Which country was her second husband from?How many husbands has she had? Instructions: You will hear a man interviewing a famous dancer. Write down the answers to the questions he asks. You will hear the listening twice. After you have finished, click on the arrow to see if you have answered correctly. (changed to answers below) Transcript:   Interviewer: Well, thank you very much for agreeing to come to this interview.Dancer: Oh, its my pleasure.   Interviewer: Well, its a pleasure for me as well. Right, well there are lots of questions Id like to ask you, but first of all, can you tell me something about your early life? I believe you are from Eastern Europe, arent you?Dancer: Yes, thats right. I ... I was born in Hungary, and I lived there for all of my childhood. In fact, I lived in Hungary for twenty-two years.   Interviewer: I believe theres a rather strange story that Ive heard about your birth.Dancer: Yes, in fact I was born on a boat because ... because my mother needed to go to the hospital, and we lived on a lake. And so she was on the boat going to the hospital, but she was too late.   Interviewer: Oh, so when your mother went to hospital she went by boat.Dancer: Yes. Thats right.   Interviewer: Oh, and you arrived?Dancer: Yes, on a beautiful spring day in fact. It was the twenty-first of April that I arrived in. Well, around 1930 I can tell you, but I wont be more specific than that.   Interviewer: And, uh, your family? Your parents?Dancer: Yes, well my mother and father remained in Hungary. They didnt come away with me, and my father was a history professor at the university.  He wasnt very famous. But, on the other hand, my mother was quite famous. She was a pianist. Interviewer: Oh.Dancer: She played lots of concerts in Hungary. She travelled around a lot.   Interviewer: So music was ... because your mother was a pianist, music was very important for you.Dancer: Yes, in fact.   Interviewer: From very early.Dancer: Yes, I danced when my mother played the piano.   Interviewer: Yes.Dancer: Right.   Interviewer: And did you, when did you really realize that you wanted to dance? Was it at school?Dancer: Well, I was very, very young. I did all of my school studies in Budapest. And I studied dancing there in Budapest with my family. And then I came to America. And I got married when I was very, very young. I had an American husband. And he died very young, and then I married another man who was from Canada. And then my third husband was French.   Quiz Answers She lived in Hungary for twenty-two years.She was born on a boat on a lake in Hungary.They lived on a lake and her mother was late to the hospital.She was born on a spring day.She was born around 1930, but the date is not exact.Her parents did not leave Hungary with her.Her father was a professor at university.Her mother was a pianist.Her mother travelled to play in concerts.She began to dance very young when her mother played the piano.She studied dance in Budapest.She went to America after Budapest.She left her husband because he died.Her second husband was from Canada.She has had three husbands.