In law, a minor or Juvenile is a person under a certain age — usually the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is generally 18.
In all honesty the law were made and are executed to ensure that everyone gets justice. The juvenile offenders are given special treatment keeping in mind the tender age and innocence they have. And more importantly to ensure that they get a fair chance to give life a right direction. They are are tried in juvenile courts and are not even kept with hardened or adult criminals.
But how can the treatment be that of juvenile for crimes as heinous and brutal as murder and rape. There is no innocence or mistake behind these , these are act against humanity. And no mercy should be shown in such cases.
In the recent Delhi rape case one of the accused has got away from being tried under normal law and he is just few months short of turning 18. Under juvenile laws he would be free in next couple of months when he turns 18. SAD
Some places like Florida (USA), have passed laws allowing a person who commits an extremely heinous crime such as murder can be tried as an adult, regardless of age. The laws should be amended or have provision for exceptions in such cases. The juvenile status can not be a argument or reason for exception for trial for murder or rape or other such serious crimes. As today anyone under 18 has a licence to kill or rape and get away with it with no or minimum punishment.
How do you expect a person committing such heinous crime to have change of heart in few months. Its time now to bring in a change in the law and make it more relevant.
Think of a situation where where a juvenile from victim’s family take an unlawful path of revenge and get away with same law or even worse we have an army of underage criminals roaming freely in our society. SCARY…
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