What makes an adult an adult? Is it based on their age? Does turning 18 automatically make you an adult? Should juvenile criminals convicted of a crime be tried and sentenced as adults? Why not? Juvenile criminals should be tried and sentenced as adults. Young people are more than just children. I am capable of doing everything an adult is capable of. You've probably heard the saying, "If you want to be treated like an adult, then act like an adult." If they commit crimes that “only” adults are capable of committing, then they should be treated as adults and be tried and sentenced as such. Imagine being next to a murder victim, wouldn't you want him to experience hell? “How would you feel if you could never see your son alive again while his killer only served a short sentence before being released from prison?” (hchs1259). This quote hits hard. One can only imagine being in the position of a parent whose child has been murdered. “Morality is innate from birth” (Wilde). Children, like adults, should distinguish right from wrong. A child's upbringing has little impact on him, but it is in his nature to know right from wrong. You can say that a child hardens once he gets out of prison, but it's the same for adults too. Children should be treated like adults as they can commit the same crimes as adults. “Juvenile court was created to handle juvenile delinquents on the basis of their youth rather than their crimes” (Cliffs notes). This is unfair because they base their decisions on the age of the child. What do they think this is, school? In school, they basically teach children based on their age, not how much they already know. The justice system should not be like school. The guys know what they're doing. If...center of paper...Sentenced as Adults?" The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, nd Web. February 20, 2014. "Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?" Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults? Np, n.d. Web. February 20, 2014. “Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?” The Premier Online Debate Website February 20, 2014. .Steinberg. “Smart Kids, Foolish Choices: New Brain Research Helps Explain Why Teens they take risks and what their friends have to do with it Np, 2013. Web. 2014. .