Dang 1

Dylan Dang
Ms. Moore
ERWC English
February 28, 2017

Only One Chance

As of 2014, law enforcement agencies in the U.S arrested an estimated 1,024,000 persons

under the age of 18 and of those, 53,600 were for violent offenses. There are crimes in which the

perpetrators should be punished as adults no matter their age. For example, crimes such as

murder, rape and aggravated assault. Being tried as adults exposes juveniles to sentences up to

life in prison without parole and even execution. I believe that juveniles who commit murder

should be sentenced to life in prison even though it violates the eighth amendment because teens

are given the image that they can commit any crime and be released.

A number of scientists have suggested that the reason people under the age of 18 commit

crimes is because of their massive loss of brain tissue that occurs in the teenage years. The loss

was like a wildfire, and you could see it in every teenager. Gray matter, which brain researchers

believe supports all our thinking and emotions, is purged at a rate of 1 percent to 2 percent a year

during this period. Stranger still, brain cells and connections are only being lost in the areas

controlling impulses, risk-taking, and self-control. These frontal lobes, which inhibit our violent

passions, rash actions, and regulate our emotions, are vastly immature throughout the teenage

years(Thompson 7). Because of teens underdeveloped brains, people strongly believe that they

should be given another chance to life when committing a violent offense, etc. I believe teens

should be not given another chance because they should capable of controlling their own actions

and emotions and know better not to harm others. According to Garinger, a judge, The rationale

for these earlier decisions is simple and equally applicable to the cases to be heard: Young people
 Dang 1

are biologically different from adults. Brain imaging studies reveal that the regions of the

adolescent brain responsible for controlling thoughts, actions and emotions are not fully

developed(Garinger 6). In other words, teens brains are underdeveloped which is responsible

for their actions, thoughts and emotions. However, Jenkins, a high school teacher, believes that

If brain development were the reason, then teens would kill at roughly the same rates all over

the world (Jenkins 6). In addition, as a high school teacher, who has experience with teens ages

from 16 to 17, Jenkins believes that it is impossible that teens are capable of forming such

requisite criminal intent(Jenkins 6). I agree with Jenkins because if underdeveloped brains was

the reason, teens around the world would commit many violent offenses and knowing they have

a chance to be released, gives them an image that they can do anything they want without a

consequence. For example, Justice Alito said, Even a 17 year old who sets off a bomb in a

crowded mall or guns down a dozen students and teachers is a child and must be given a chance

to persuade a judge to permit his release into society This is a strong example because it gives

an idea of what persons under the age of 18 can do and have a chance to be released.

In conclusion, I believe that teens are responsible for their actions and should not have a

chance of life again if they take ones life away. According to Thompson, an assistant professor

of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine, While research

on brain-tissue loss can help us to understand teens better, it cannot be used to excuse their

violent or homicidal behavior(Thompson 11). Despite the fact that persons under the age of 18s

brains are underdeveloped, they are capable of controlling themselves to not commit a murder.

Their brain being underdeveloped, is not a reason for why they should be given another chance

of life.
Dang 1