The Adolescence, Essay Example

The law should respond to this research as the findings of this research are proven to be true. In some cases, adolescents have found themselves in situations that they did not intend to be in. these are caused by a number of things mostly due to the confusion that comes with the stage. Some adolescents have fallen victim to circumstances that they did not wish to be in themselves but by simply succumbing to the forces of nature that are brought about by the changes they are undergoing mentally and the physical transition. Cassel & Bernstein (2006) postulate that these changes are usually the cause of the predicaments that adolescents find themselves in. when undergoing these changes, an adolescent usually is confused if he or she is not prepared psychologically and this unpreparedness could also lead an individual to behave irrationally. In other instances, an adolescent may find him/herself in a position due to the peer influence which is at the peak in this stage. Peer influence has been noted to derail even fully grown adults. Adolescents should therefore not be punished for being adolescents. Most of these adolescents are usually remorseful after understanding the gravity of the situation they are in (Steinberg, 2004). This in itself proves that they are usually not in their right senses when doing some things and their judgment too is also clouded and influenced by the transformation they are undergoing. The law should therefore take into consideration these factors when it comes to judging adolescents.

The response of the law should be limited to a number of things in order to avoid abuse of its consideration of the adolescents. It should have room to accommodate professional psychological evaluation to prove that the crime committed by an adolescent was not done with a motive and that the subject in question was under the influence of adolescence and its radical changes (Myers, 2010). The law should also conduct extensive research into what is likely to influence a certain behavior and at what age and for what duration in order to create an informed flexibility when judging the adolescents.

2a. They should not be tried for murder because there was no motive and the accident was unintentional even though it was influenced by irrational decisions that were influenced by alcohol, stature and stage. There is also the mind development during adolescence which could interfere with physical reaction and it could have also played a part in the accident. All these could have played a role in the accident and should therefore be considered for there to be justice (Cassel & Bernstein, 2006).

Although they are eighteen years old and have qualified to be judged as adults, this does not determine their maturity as people mature at different ages. It also does not rule them out of the teen-age bracket. There are people who experience puberty even into their early twenties. Some people mature early yet others late. This difference in maturity should be taken into consideration before judging them. Steinberg (2004) argues that an evaluation perhaps to determine their maturity should be used to determine whether they should be judged as adults or adolescents.

They are eighteen years of age which could be a confusing age but they were drunk when driving. Apart from that, they were racing on a busy road and one of them is a celebrity. For there to be justice, all these must be taken into consideration. Being an adolescent is one thing but being drunk and driving is another thing altogether. There is also the issue of stature which tips the balance. Being a public figure and drunk could cloud judgment in that instead of considering the students who were walking beside the road, all that mattered was to win the race (Myers, 2010). Superiority complex may have kicked in and influenced the driving. This coupled with the drunkenness and the age may have caused the accident. Their condition despite their age is in itself a disclaimer to be guilty. Both their age and condition should therefore be taken into consideration when determining their culpability and punishment.

References

Cassel, E., & Bernstein, D. B. (2006). Criminal Behavior (2nd ed.). Mahway, NJ: Erlbaum.

Myers, D. G. (2010). Psychology. (9th ed.) New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Steinberg, L. (2004). ‘Risk Taking in Adolescence: What Changes, and Why?’ Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1021(1), 51-58.