Adult vs Juvenile Offenders, Essay Example

The criminal justice system in the United States regards juveniles differently than adults, and therefore, they are treated differently while being processed.  This paper will briefly describe three of the differences inherent in our court system which differentiate between the two groups.

Firstly, when juveniles commit crimes, typically the goal of the sentence is rehabilitation and treatment rather than punishment.  Juveniles are seen as capable of making changes more easily, given the fact that their behavior may not be set in stone.  The criminal justice system treats adults in a more harsh way, with the emphasis being on punishment.

Secondly, there are a host of criminal behaviors that are all considered to be against the law because the person committing the crime is a juvenile, typically called status offenses.  For example, staying out of school, running away from home, as well as being out past curfew are considered violations of the law only because the person involved is under-age.  The violation involved is not necessarily considered to be a criminal offense.

Another significant difference between the ways in which juveniles vs. adults are treated in court pertains to the recordkeeping involved.  Juvenile court records are sealed and kept private in order to allow for the child to become rehabilitated and to re-enter society without the stigmatization associated with having a police record.  In contrast, the court records regarding adult trials and court intervention are public records, available to anyone who has an interest in learning what transpired during the legal cases involving adults.