The Cellar - View Single Post - Yes, the banning of the juvenile death penalty was...

Catwoman · 05-24-2005, 04:05 AM

Lady Sidhe, some facts for you:

The proportion of violent crimes committed by juveniles that victims reported to law enforcement has changed little since 1980.

The number of murder offenders in each age group between 14 and 17 increased substantially and proportionately from 1984 through 1993.

All of the increase in homicides by juveniles between the mid 1980's and mid 1990s was firearm related.

In 1997, juvenile offenders were known to be involved in about 1,400 murders in the US. From the peak year of 1994, the number of murders known to involve juvenile offenders dropped 39%.

The rate at which juveniles comitted serious violent crimes changed little between 1973 and 1989, peaked in 1993, then declined to the lowest level since 1986.

I agree with you about responsibility. The examples you tend to quote are pretty vicious, and I wouldn't argue that IF TRUE they deserve severe punishment no matter how traumatic their childhood.

However when designing a 'one size fits all' legal system (as I have often comdemned) one cannot take into account every possible permutation of murder or crime in general. Does the boy you mention above deserve the same as the woman who kills her cheating husband?

It's an impossible question, and one you shouldn't be attempting to answer by purveying a 'death fits all' mentality to black, white AND grey crimes.

05-24-2005, 04:05 AM	#6
Catwoman stalking a Tom Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: on the edge of the english channel Posts: 1,000	Lady Sidhe, some facts for you: The proportion of violent crimes committed by juveniles that victims reported to law enforcement has changed little since 1980. The number of murder offenders in each age group between 14 and 17 increased substantially and proportionately from 1984 through 1993. All of the increase in homicides by juveniles between the mid 1980's and mid 1990s was firearm related. In 1997, juvenile offenders were known to be involved in about 1,400 murders in the US. From the peak year of 1994, the number of murders known to involve juvenile offenders dropped 39%. The rate at which juveniles comitted serious violent crimes changed little between 1973 and 1989, peaked in 1993, then declined to the lowest level since 1986. I agree with you about responsibility. The examples you tend to quote are pretty vicious, and I wouldn't argue that IF TRUE they deserve severe punishment no matter how traumatic their childhood. However when designing a 'one size fits all' legal system (as I have often comdemned) one cannot take into account every possible permutation of murder or crime in general. Does the boy you mention above deserve the same as the woman who kills her cheating husband? It's an impossible question, and one you shouldn't be attempting to answer by purveying a 'death fits all' mentality to black, white AND grey crimes. __________________ I've decided I'm not going to have a signature anymore.