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05/20/2010
COM/220
Karen Moninger

The life of a seven-year old girl tragically ends at the hands of a young boy. The court convicted Lionel Tate of first degree murder for beating the 48-pound girl, and sentenced him to life in prison. This punishment was a rather harsh judgment many in the community argue against today. Instead of incarcerating him for life, what other options are available? As teen violence continues to plague the nation, many people wonder if rehabilitation is an effective method for deterring future occurrences. Twelve-year old Lionel Tate took the life of a young girl named Tiffany Eunick. Lionel’s mother, a Florida Highway Patrol officer, was sleeping upstairs though she was responsible for babysitting Tiffany. The mother left the children watching television and playing together downstairs unattended. During horse play, Lionel begins to re-enact moves he saw watching wrestling. The 160-pound boy was responsible for cuts, bruises, fractured skull, lacerated liver, broken ribs and internal hemorrhaging on young Tiffany Eunick. Certainly the parents of the deceased child will want to see justice served for the loss of their loved one. Stories surface daily about a teen committing some sort of crime. A heart wrenching reality that many people will either themselves face, or know someone who has or will experience. The epidemic of teen violence is rapidly increasing; Statistics say youth under the age of 18 were arrested for nearly 1561 homicides in 2000 (Fox, Zawitz 2002). Controversies regarding if the courts should try a juvenile as an adult have become a widely held topic. Many people believe that age should not be a factor as long as the crime is heinous enough. On the other hand, others think that young offenders are not psychosomatically responsible enough to understand their actions Baca (2006) reports Dr. Iris Borowsky, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, stating the risk factors for why teens become violent.
Borowsky said risk factors in society include neighborhood violence, social prejudice, economic deprivation and access to guns. In families, there might be violent conflict, substance abuse and a lack of connectedness and caring. In schools: a feeling of danger, lack of achievement, sense of failure, a lack of connectedness. A perfect example of a troubled teen recalls a 2008 case in which fifteen- year old; Jason Hartley murders a fourteen year-old girl. Sun sentinel reports, Jason Hartley, who is now 17-years old admit to strangling the young girl after engaging in sexual acts with her. The boy claims after they had sex, she began to ridicule him and he became enraged, so he strangled her and wrapped her body in a tarp in an attempt to cover up what he had done. George Reres, the young boy’s attorney, affirmed that the boy came from a troubled family with no stability and violence within the home (Alanez, 2010). Could it simply be a matter of coincidence that most of these individual have common backgrounds and stressors? A recent incident in Deerfield Florida brings to mind in which a teen nearly takes the life of yet another young person. On March 17, 2010 a 15- year old boy pedals his bicycle to a nearby middle school and beats a 14-year old girl within inches of her life- all of this because of a text message. The girl apparently made remarks about the boy’s older brother who had committed suicide earlier that year. The young lady suffered brain damage and will never return to any form of normalcy. The boy later apologizes to the family through his lawyer, claiming he blacked out during the attack. Similarities of unstable behavior are present in each story, making it difficult to judge these individuals so harshly. Young people are experiencing emotional changes that are incomprehensible, changes too complex for the young developing minds. Researchers continue to conduct studies dealing with brain development in adolescents. According to research, the brain does not begin the full stages of maturity until a person is the early 20s and does not complete the process until approximately 25 years of age (Spano, 2003). The frontal lobe of the brain, which is responsible for the regulation of emotional stability, self-restrain, and the ability to make decisions will not reach full maturation during adolescence. Spano (2003) reports that according to Tod Yurgulon, “In teens, the judgment, insight, and reasoning power, and reasoning power is not being brought to bear on the tasks as it is in adults.” Is it also safe to say the interactions young people encounter from parents, peers and society play a major role on how they relate to stress? In an article written by Maria Baca, researchers state that parents are the most influential aspects in the life of a child and one of the best things a child can have is a close family connection (Baca, 2006). Positive influences in the life of a young adult will negate the possibilities of potential destructive behaviors. Most individual will realize the common denominator in many cases of youth violence is the instability of family and surrounding culture. It is without a doubt that these individuals should face repercussions for their actions but is the judicial system helping or harming the youth? Many view the justice system as a substitute parent for these young violent offenders, whose parental and societal influents have failed to meet their social and psychological needs. The courts encompass the authority to determine the outcome of cases relating to youth offenders. When a young offender commits a crime, the courts decide whether the individual will serve time in a juvenile facility or an adult jail, based on the severity of the act. The juvenile facilities focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment (Larson, 2000). Juvenile experts note, placing teens in prison with hardcore adult criminals will only exude more violence; however, early rehabilitation with proper supervision and trained staff can have more positive effects (Tarhis, 1994). When these young offenders are kept in confinement with adult criminals, He or she is expected to re-enter society and adjust. The challenges regular law abiding citizens face in society is numerous, so one can imagine being a child who has been institutionalized with no formal training for the real world. They must secure jobs and a new way of life, different from what they left behind. Without any formal training, it must be difficult to re-enter a world and have to compete for basic survival needs. They will need to figure out ways to overcome perplex situations, which imprisonment will not provide. There can only be feelings of hopelessness and depression, unless these youth offenders are mentally prepared to deal with such obstacles. According to Scott and Steinberg (2008), the most effective programs include those that focus on social and psychological rehabilitative intervention.

The state of Michigan issued a survey of people residing in the state. The survey contains six options for violent teen offenders.

As noted by Kubiak, P. S, Allen, T., King, A (2005)
The state of Michigan issued a survey of people residing in the state. The survey contains six options for violent teen offenders. The graph provides results for the survey. Sixteen percent of residents think youth offenders should spend time in a juvenile facility and released at the age of 21. Twenty-six percent of residents think the state should hold teens in youth facilities and transfer them to adult prisons to serve the remainder of their sentence. Thirty-nine percent believe teens should transfer to adult prisons after turning 18 serving life with a possibility of parole. Ten percent believe teens should transfer to adult prisons after the age of 18 to serve life without the possibility of parole. Four percent of residents think teens should serve life in adult prison with the possibility of parole and finally, Five percent of Michigan state residents feel violent teen offenders should serve their time in adult jails without any possibility of parole. According to the director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform,” trying juveniles as adults instigate more rapid recidivism for more serious offenses “(Pytel, 2008). Many other researchers state that incarcerating teens with violent adults do not deter future occurrences, which further provides evidence that such harsh punishments are not effective answers. Everyone have a difference of opinion on if teen incarceration is more effective than rehabilitation. Unfortunately, it is difficult to acquire an accurate percentage of reoccurrence because of laws that protect the identity of the youth. People should understand that in most cases many youth offenders are misguided children with deep psychological instabilities. As Baca (2006) reported that Ross Macmillan, a University of Minnesota sociology professor studies the link between psychology and criminal behavior in children. Clinical and medical psychologist, Michael G. Conner (2007) studies why children behave violently, and the signs for at-risk children. Conner (2007) argues that although violent behavior is arduous to recognize in young children, early detection is key for successful intervention. As for the case of Lionel Tate and many others, these individuals are never the same once they are exposed to incarceration with violent adults. Imagine the fear and the psychological torment a young mind endures when he or she is locked away with murderers, rapists and other hardcore felons. Does a 12-year old really understand the long term effects and the consequences to their actions? Steinberg (1996), a professor of development of psychology at Temple University states that the adolescent brain possesses some intellectual skills, but lack pertinent social and psychological dexterity to make decisions such as, going through pressure by peers, controlling impulse, and imagining the long-term effects of committing a violent crime. Children are not born with criminal intents and although they may go astray, rehabilitation is possible. An articled titled a community’s answer to teen violence written by Jeanne Jourdan states, "Children aren't born with an innate urge to use guns and commit acts of violence. Turning to violence as a means of settling disputes or venting anger is something that people are taught” (Jourdan, 1994). Tate emerges from prison only to return to a life of crime and is back in jail serving his original sentence. Strict penalties for youth offenders do not cause deterrence. In fact, it increases the possibilities of recidivism. Once the courts place teens in confinement with hard core criminals for a length of time, they learn resentment toward authority and hold cynical views against people around them. To confine a child with hardened criminals then unleash them into society is in no way practical. Lionel Tate and many others deal with this tragic fate.

REFERENCES
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