In every society, distinctions are made between adults and minors in terms of the legal treatment of offenders or criminals. Juveniles are treated differently than adults for the same offenses, with courts of law meting out different punishments for juveniles and adults. This article aims to emphasize the differences between adults and juveniles and the differences in treatments given to both groups.
A juvenile is a term or status given to individuals based on their age. This term is frequently used in laws made for young offenders and courts that handle juvenile delinquency. In every society, there is a legal age that separates adults from minors. Individuals below this age of adulthood are considered juveniles. In most cultures and countries, the age of adulthood is 18, and individuals below this age are treated as juveniles by law and law enforcement authorities. There are norms for different behaviors in different countries, such as smoking age, drinking age, voting age, and consent for sexual behavior age. Most countries have special laws and courts to handle juvenile offenders, as they are treated differently from adult criminals. This distinction is made because there is a transitional phase between childhood and adulthood.
People above the age of 18 are considered adults in most countries, although there may be different acceptable ages for various behaviors, such as voting, sex, smoking, drinking, and driving. When an adult commits a crime, they can be arrested and remanded to judicial custody or even sent to jail. However, the same treatment cannot be given to juveniles. A juvenile cannot be sent to jail with other adults, and even in small cities where there are no separate facilities, a juvenile offender is kept with other minors and not with other adults.
Key Takeaways
- Individuals below the age of adulthood are treated as juveniles, and this term is used more often in laws made for young offenders and courts that handle juvenile delinquency.
- The separate judicial system for juveniles and adults is based on the premise that rehabilitation is required and very much possible with juveniles, while punishment is the sole objective in the case of adults.
- Teens treated like adults in courts and jails are more likely to harden as human beings, as they are sexually and physically abused by hardcore adult criminals.
