Virginia's laws have made it relatively easy since 1996 to try a juvenile as an adult. The results have been unpredictable. Now a crime commission is evaluating whether the state's approach needs to change. [Related story]

What do you think? Should we treat juvenile offenders as adults in the courts?

In my opinion If you choose to do the crime you do the time. So many teenagers these days think if they commit a crime as a juvinille they will just get a slap on the wrist. treat them as adults and send a message...!!!

Yes please, by all means !  

Many said "I am Under age, you can't do nothing to me"

No No No, you did whaever, you will pay for !

Gesy

 In my opinion, even the adults in our area just get a slap on the wrist... time and time again. 

As for the juveniles... I feel they should be punished to the same degree, but I do not feel they should be sent to the same facilities as the criminal adults.  The juveniles are not fully developed mentally...  even at ages 18, 19, & 20, their brains are still developing in maturity.  Yes, they make poor decisions and bad choices, and are still at an age where they are greatly influenced by others.  Unfortunately, our area has a serious drug problem within our youth and young adults; and due to the multitudes that have fallen victim to the preditors in the drug world, many of our youth are not even capable of making morally conscious decisions because of their drug usage, and the fact of their thinking being chemically altered.  However, they must still be held accountable for their wrong doings. 

I feel the juveniles, as well as the adults, should have to pull their full sentences.  I do not believe they should get 12 months w/ 9 months suspended.  Even worse, I do not feel that when they are in there to serve the 90 days (3 months that were not suspended), they should be credited a day for good behavior for each day they have served.  In the end they are only serving a total of 45 days.  Where is the justice in this?  What kind of message are we sending to them?

The Commonwealth really should wake up and take a serous look at all the double standards they implicate.   

 I strongly believe each case should be treated on an indidvidual basis, I think you should take into account  the juveniles background, do they have emotional issues, mental issues, have they been molested, I know these sound like excuses but if you have a mentally challenged juvenile they may not be aware that they are committing a crime. In my opinion the whole justice system needs to be overhauled. From mandatory minimums to the sentencing guidelines. A person gets more prison time selling drugs than they do for murder that doesn't seem quite fair. If you throw a 14 year old in the big boy prison he is more likely to be abused both sexually and physically and then he has the chance to learn how to become a career criminal. Give a juvenile a sentence in something like a military boot camp and make a man out of them.

If the juvenile has the maturity to choose to do a serious crime, then the juvenile should be mature enough to suffer the mature consequences. The children of today are much more advanced due to education and social issues than the children of yesteryear. Being that they are more advanced in their thinking they should also be more advanced and civilized in their actions.

The decison to try a juvenile as an adult should only be considered for the taking of another human life.  The  purpose in trying them as juvenile is the hope that they can be rehabilitated and become useful members of society,  and their criminal record as a juvenile not become a matter of public record.   Adult sentencing guidelines allow only for punishment.  Although some adult prisoners rehabilitate themselves while in prison, it is intended for punishment and the criminal record follows them the rest of their lives.

The most important consideration in making the decision to try a juvenile as an adult  is whether or not it serves the best interest of society.  In applying an adult standard we are stating the juvenile knew right from wrong and therefore was at the age of reason and is a continual threat to society.   The ultimate decision must be handled on a case by case basis.  It must be a joint effort of the prosecutors, defense attorneys, social workers, probation officers and eventually the legislature in making the correct determination. 

 No, juveniles should not be tried as adults. Even those who seem the most hardened are not yet mature.

Yes, they should do the time. They should serve their time in a juvenile facility, maximum security if necessary, but juvenile just the same. They should recieve an education and assistance with job placement when they are released to help keep them from going back into the adult system.

I think it should depend on the severity of the crime.  Murder or possibly malicious wounding would be two crimes that I think should definitely qualify.  For a crime where no one was hurt, it should be based on the circumstances of the case. 

I think the major issue that should be addressed is how the juvenile justice system fails the juvenile offender.  In 1994, my father (a deputy) was killed by a 15 year old boy that had been in and out of the juvenile system for years.  We discovered that he had been before the same juvenile judge 13 times, and each time had basically been given a slap on the hand.  He'd spent time in "juvi," but not much.  He told someone that he was going to kill the next cop that tried to take him to jail, and he did.  Unfortunately, it was my dad.  My family spent almost 2 years attending court hearings for this boy, in which the prosecutor was trying to get him transferred to adult court, and he eventually was.  Ironically, the same juvenile judge that had slapped him on the hand 13 times in the juvenile system had been transferred to adult circuit court, and was the judge that presided over the hearing and the sentencing.  The boy pleaded no contest, and the judge sentenced him to 42 years in prison.  He is currently at Greensville, but he has been in Wallens Ridge, Red Onion, and Sussex II. 

Had the juvenile justice system done what it should have, my dad would not have died in the manner that he did, and there possibly would have been no need for this boy to be sent to an adult prison.  Do I think he'll be reformed?  No.  I know that he's stabbed someone in prison.  He's had 5 additional years added to his sentence since entering prison in 1996.  IF he gets out when he's scheduled to now, he'll be 40 years old.  How is he supposed to acclimate into our society then, after he'll have spent over 2/3 of his life in prison?

 Having over 13 years  working experience inside both juvenile facilities and thanks to Tim Kaine several adult facilities the general public has no idea what happens in the day to day activity of a prison I am sure that some juveniles as well as adults do get the short end of the stick.  I have seen the same juvenile come in for various crimes starting at the age of 10 and continue on this pattern of behavior after repeated incarcerations in a juvenile facility until they are finally old enough to give them a substantial amount of time by trying them as adults I am sure if the prison rights people would kindly let the public see how many crimes the juveniles had committed before a judge had to make the awful decision to try them as an adult and rid society of a habitual offender, Did I mention that the prison right advocates can not see this because the criminal in question is a minor and their records are sealed and sheltered from public display.  I am not saying that trying a juvenile as an adult is the answer.  The answer lies with in the juveniles first couple of offenses if you cant turn a juvenile around after his first stay in a detention facility it is a proven fact 85% go on to prison and of that 80% return right back to their life of crime. SO I say we should try repeat juvenile offenders as adults if you have the mentality to commit adult crimes or take a life than you should accept the responsibility that comes with it.  I say that both prisons and juvenile facalities offer and make more programs mandatory very few are mandatory If you truly want someone to change their behavior you must first make them knowledgeable enough toilet them see what is wrong with it  But alas I live in a dream world because Tim Kaine just closes prisons he doesn't create places or programs to stop the steady increase of incarcerated inmates.  Felons are not committing less crimes take a look at the jails these facalities are more than double there capacity I feel for the poor correctional officer who has to deal with the overcrowding of the jails, just so Tim Kaine can fly his plane, clean his curtains and drink bottled water so he doesn't have to drink public water supply ever thought why he doesn't drink Public water?

 Why should tax payer money be spent finding someone a job who has no regard for the law there is plenty of law abiding citizens who need the job instead why not help them. 

 I can shed some light on this subject pretty Well.  In 1984 I was Tryed As an adult at the age of 17 and sentenced to 20 Years in the Virginia State Prison.  I had  already been before the juvenile system many times over.  I served right at 7 years before I was released on Parole and then another 5 after I was released before I completed my Parole.   I feel that If I was not sentenced at the time I was I probably would not be here to write this today.  Do I Blame the Judge (NO) Do I blame the police (NO)   I made the choices back then to do the things I did and I paid for my mistakes.  I Took advantage of getting my GED while there and some college.  I have not been Re arrested since my Release in  1991 nor do I ever Plan on being.  There is still Rights that I no Longer Have That I wish I could get back but thats part of it all I guess.  Needless to say that this was for  NON-Violent Crimes.  I seen Rapist, Robbers, and others do less time than I served.  However If the Juvenile is being sent to Adult Court, then its because he is a Repeat Offender and cant learn in the Juvenile System or the Crime is so Violent then it must be sent to the Adult Court.   People Make Choices of there own, they Can either stop what they are doing and change there Lives or they can be sent to a place where they cant do it at all.  So Yes the Juveniles that Usually ends up in Adult Court is there at becasue the deserve to be there,  We have to keep Society Save in what ever way is best.

 No I do not think Juveniles should be tried as adults.  These children do not have the maturity level to understand the way adults live, especially in prison.  I feel that juveniles will become repeated defenders if they are put in adult prisons.  I fell juveniles have a better chance of turning their life around in a juvenile center.  The are with juveniles thier own age and can work together to change their lives.

 I believe that we all make mistakes. Nobody perfect so! Why should you spend the rest of your life in prison for a mistake? If your perfect and you have never done anything well good for you! I am againts that particular subject, but what can I do.

 It seems to me that your sorry self has not learned anything throughtout your life. You seem to think your perfect so go head and offend all those who have been tried as adult! I feel sorry for you seriously!