Youth Justice - What Do YOU think?

[transportphoto]

What do you think about the youth justice system at the moment?

Is it right to put young children in prison?

What would you like to see?

Please reply below to keep thread high!

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Please only select one poll option.

My mistake for ticking the wrong box!

 

[royaloak]

If the children commit an "adult" crime they should be tried as adults.

 

[Ivo]

This is one of the few things I think that is right about our justice system. I think 10 is a reasonable age for criminal responsibility. Thus I chose the second option.

 

[Kneedown]

As long as the children are of the age of criminal responsibility then i see no problem with them being tried as adults, as long as the crime is serious enough.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

This is one of the few things I think that is right about our justice system. I think 10 is a reasonable age for criminal responsibility. Thus I chose the second option.

+1there mate

 

[313103]

Dont suppose this has anything to do with the hype surrounding Jon Venables per chance?

 

[Nick W]

Rather than create a poll, is there any chance you could post a topic on each of these topics (preferable one at a time) so that we could have some proper debate and analysis?

 

[transportphoto]

This has nothing in connection with the case of Jon Venables - this is purly a question for as I said coursework.

I am not going to send responses to questions re the topic. I am the one who is going to be asking them!

 

[TrainBrain185]

What do you think about the youth justice system at the moment?

Is it right to put young children in prison?

What would you like to see?

Please reply below to keep thread high!

---

Please only select one poll option.

My mistake for ticking the wrong box!

Question 1...........Far too soft!!
Question 2...........True bloody right!!
Question 3...........Stocks in the town/city centre and throw rotten fruit and meat at them, or the "Birch"

 

[thefab444]

This is one of the few things I think that is right about our justice system. I think 10 is a reasonable age for criminal responsibility.

I agree, although I'd go for 12 as being the borderline age.

 

[transportphoto]

Thanks to those 25 of you who have voted already - keep them coming!

.....

 

[yorkie]

AGES OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY
7 - Switzerland, Nigeria, S Africa
8 - Scotland*, Sri Lanka
10 - England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand
12 - The Netherlands, Canada, Greece, Turkey
13 - France
14 - Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, China
15 - Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Czech Republic, New York (US), South Carolina (US)
16 - Spain, Japan, Texas (US), Poland
18 - Belgium, Luxembourg, most US states

Only one developed nation* is lower than 10, and the vast majority are above that, in many cases signifnicantly. So I think questions need to be raised. How can someone be a criminal at 10 here, but a 17 year old can't be a criminal in the US? I think 18 is too high, but 10 is obviously too low.

I'm not voting, because you do not define younger/older. If you defined it I may vote for option 2. But I'm not going to vote for treating 10 year olds as adults if that's what you mean by "older", because they obviously aren't to anyone with any sense. I also agree with option 3 in general.

( * In Scotland it's being raised to 12).

 

[StoneRoad]

Personally, I think there should be a test to see if the child / accused knew right from wrong in general terms.

If they did, then try the case, and punish if guilty, as an adult (although prison may not be the best place for them). *

If not, then they are still a child, and thus their parent(s) should be held accountable for their actions!

*although I can't remember the details of the study, (as it was some years ago) some researchers came to the conclusion that the threat of a prison term was only a deterrent until the subject had been inside! after which it was regarded as an occupational hazard, by the miscreant (I am reminded of the starting titles of "Porridge" - the Bench's speech to Ronnie B's character Fletcher)

 

[transportphoto]

In reply - I am going to define the ages.

10 - 13 Different
13 -> Same as Adult

 

[142094]

Would it be possible for the results to be shown? I don't particularly care if it is for your coursework but I would be interested in the results.

 

[transportphoto]

Would it be possible for the results to be shown? I don't particularly care if it is for your coursework but I would be interested in the results.

They will be when it closes. I purposely selected this to prevent people voting just because of what somebody else has said etc...

I can not change it anyway (as far as I am aware) so Sorry 142094 - watch this space on Wednesday at 1800!

 

[142094]

Fair enough, the results should be interesting.

 

[transportphoto]

Only one developed nation* is lower than 10, and the vast majority are above that, in many cases signifnicantly. So I think questions need to be raised. How can someone be a criminal at 10 here, but a 17 year old can't be a criminal in the US? I think 18 is too high, but 10 is obviously too low.

I'm not voting, because you do not define younger/older. If you defined it I may vote for option 2. But I'm not going to vote for treating 10 year olds as adults if that's what you mean by "older", because they obviously aren't to anyone with any sense. I also agree with option 3 in general.

( * In Scotland it's being raised to 12).

Sorry Yorkie - I know this was 'yonks' ago but could you let me know how you found your quote on the BBC?

 

[transportphoto]

Sorry to bring this up...

Just to let you know that the Assesment / Coursework is being finalised now and will be handed in by Wednesday.

Thanks Agiain to those who voted.

 

[thegrich37423]

Is it right to put young children in Britain? Sheesh, the question itself is symptomatic of the softly-softly, kid gloves country we've become.

Of course it is!! If they can't do the time, don't do the crime!

 

[royaloak]

If they can't do the time, don't do the crime!

I actually agree with something you have written, top job!
(where is the thumbs up smillie when you want one)

 

[FlyingScot]

Too bad It closed now and you can't vote on two things. I would have voted on #1 and #4.Driver's licence here we come!

 

[HITMAN]

Is it right to put young children in Britain?!

Quite a few of them are born here.

Previous to 1998 there used to be a rebuttable presumption that a child under 14 could not commit a criminal offence, so it would be on the prosecution to prove that the child knew what he was doing was wrong. That has now been completely abolished by statute and so prime facie a child of 10 is liable the same as an adult of 30. It is however, not quite as simple as that, for example in some cases of recklessness following R v G the age of the defendant will be taken into account when considering whether the defendant considered the concequences of his or her act. So minors aren't quite held to be up to the standard of a reasonable adult.
The European Court of Human Rights held that Venables's trial had breached his rights to a fair trial in 1999, for various reasons, many centering around the publicity of the case, also in Scotland the age of criminal responsibility is 7, but they aren't dealt with at that age by the normal courts.

 

[ladydsm]

Bring back the birch and the short sharp shock so when they are screaming out sorry you know they mean it .
maybe not sorry for what they had done but sorry for themselves and repeat offenders would get harsher punishments until they saw that the more crime they did the harder it got. or am I being to harsh.

 

[Greenback]

Bring back the birch and the short sharp shock so when they are screaming out sorry you know they mean it .
maybe not sorry for what they had done but sorry for themselves and repeat offenders would get harsher punishments until they saw that the more crime they did the harder it got. or am I being to harsh.

No I would agree. And I;m sure some would go even further!

 

[ladydsm]

well I would go further but I hink it would be too extreme to say on here.

 

[leewoods60019]

Justice System? All fine locking up Youth - won't help. I'm against all this gang, crime, drug thing. I just wish more people would travel citys with friends do something unique and things. Youth these days get too bored! They go out and cause trouble for many reasons, If government was to understand youth as much as I did then things can be solved and put it to the low side. Investment in more CCTV cameras in alley ways and especially tunnels (and alongside rail tracks that go under tunnels) it's easy to solve the problem, get the youth of the streets and run more clubs of their hobby - simple really. If just our ideas will be put across to the government but obviously I'm too low down to have my say as a Youth and generally other Youths.

 

[ladydsm]

Justice System? All fine locking up Youth - won't help. I'm against all this gang, crime, drug thing. I just wish more people would travel citys with friends do something unique and things. Youth these days get too bored! They go out and cause trouble for many reasons, If government was to understand youth as much as I did then things can be solved and put it to the low side. Investment in more CCTV cameras in alley ways and especially tunnels (and alongside rail tracks that go under tunnels) it's easy to solve the problem, get the youth of the streets and run more clubs of their hobby - simple really. If just our ideas will be put across to the government but obviously I'm too low down to have my say as a Youth and generally other Youths.

you can do your bit by joining the young con/dem or labour party and yes there are some well behaved youths out there who come forward and report the problems in their areas.