Being tried as adults sends these juveniles to state penitentiaries and sentences up to life in prison without parole and even execution in some places. But is it really an effective punishment? Do these minors have the capacity to truly understand the crimes they are committing? Is there an age limit for entering these minors into the adult justice system? Is there someone or something behind the actions of these teenage lawbreakers? These questions lead us to wonder whether this action is truly effective or whether there is a better way to deal with adolescent criminals. In my opinion, sentencing juveniles to be tried as adults is unethical because juveniles are not yet fully developed psychologically. In the article “Growing the Juvenile Justice System” he verifies the fact that each year “approximately 200,000 youth are tried, convicted, or incarcerated as adults” (Ken Stier). It also supports how many advocates take issue with the fact that juveniles are not given an adequate chance to turn their lives around after taking part in minor crimes. I agree with Stier. I believe that young people have a better chance than adults of making a change in their lives with the right help, therapy and rehabilitation. “There has been new brain research showing that full development of the frontal lobe, where rational decisions are made, doesn't occur until the early to mid-20s” (Ken Stier). This shows that criminals do not make rational decisions based on their brains. Therefore, this is one reason why juveniles should not be tried as adults. A psychological difference between the criminal mind of an adult and that of a minor is established in the article “The Competency-Related Skills of Adolescent Defendants in Criminal Court.... .. middle of paper ......organizations run by criminal masterminds who provide them with a way out of poverty and depression. The different circumstances are endless, but I suppose they shouldn't be locked up in adult penitentiaries, especially those under the age of eighteen. They should be placed alongside those in their age group even though their sentence may be that of an adult. In conclusion, minors should not be tried as adults. We are not born sneaky and malicious. People take shape in what they become. It is absolutely normal for people to adapt to and be influenced by their learning, social and atmospheric environments. However, I am not saying that this is a reason to commit a crime. There comes a time in our lives when we have to choose who to be. We prosecute the unpleasant behavior of those around us, or we make a difference and shine among the evildoers, like a true citizen??