Thursday, 8 October 2015

DELINQUENTS TO SPEND JAIL TIME by Valerie Aldridge


            Some people say jail is not the right place for children who disobey the law to stay because it’s a dull and negative environment. Some people even say a child could just be an accomplice of a bigger person. So how come unlawful children should remain in prison despite the Special Child Protection Act?

             Republic Act. No. 9344, an act establishing a comprehensive juvenile justice and welfare system, creating the juvenile justice and welfare council under the Department of Justice, appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes. It states that children are not to be abused and or neglected inspite of the Special Child Protection Act. But it also states that justice is to be served. A person who commits crimes are criminals, young or old. If a child can kill, then so can an adult. If a child who disobeys the law is left without justice then chances are that child could do it again. Jails provide discipline that is mostly needed by children. If a child is disciplined then that child can identify what is right from wrong. So a child can be imprisoned but with proper surveillance.

            No criminal should get away with their crimes even if that person is just a child who is an accomplice of a bigger person. Most cases show that the mastermind bribes children into doing their dirty work. When the child accepts the bribery, that means that child agreed to all the tasks given by the head. So that child agrees to committing crime. It is also possible for the mastermind to bribe the child with drugs to do certain tasks. A Florida mom and dad were arrested for allegedly bribing their kids to do their chores and do well in school. According to Gawker, Joey and Chad Mudd were arrested on Monday after they allegedly told police that they bribe their two daughters with drugs to get them to do their chores and do well in school. Justice is to be served to both mastermind and children.

            Children may not be so innocent after all. There are cases all over the world that include children involved in gruesome murders and theft. One of the cases happened on June 1, 2004, an 11-year-old schoolgirl, best known as "Girl A", murdered her 12-year-old classmate, Satomi Mitarai, in an empty classroom during lunch at an elementary school in Japan. In the attack, Girl A slit Mitarai's throat and arms with a utility knife. She then left Mitarai's body at the murder scene and returned to class with her clothes covered in blood. Girl A wasn’t sent to prison because Japan doesn’t take minors to jail. Everybody may have violent impulses but obviously this girl can’t control it. Since she’s free, this uncontrollable impulse of hers may return which may lead her to do another violent action. If this law continues, children will depend on the law to liberate them even if their crime is mature enough to let the doer sent to prison. Children may abuse this law and go on doing violent and abusive actions.    

            Therefore, a child who commits crime should stay in jail but with proper surveillance. A child who accepts tasks from a mastermind is willing to do the dirty job. Children can be capable of making decisions and doing things on their own will. If a child criminal were to escape, chances are that child is influenced by wrong doings which makes him or her even more dangerous. Parents of these children might be the reason why they turned out to be that way, their parents should do their part and raise their children right to avoid any illegal incidents.


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