blog 4 (juvenile death penalty)

http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=4&mid=6756

When children are young their frontal lobes are not fully developed and as teens mature, they continue to develop. The myelin, fatty tissue that form around axons and speeds neurotransmission result in improved judgment, impulse control, and the ability to plan for long term. So the reason behind many of teens impulsiveness, risky behaviors, and emotional storms, is lack of growth, it doesn't necessarily mean they are a bad person. Adolescents just reason from their gut more than weighing the options of a situation.

In 2004 the American Psychological Association joined seven other medical and mental health associations in filing U.S. Supreme Court briefs, arguing against the death penalty for 16 and 17 year olds. In 2005 they won by a margin of 5 to 4, giving juveniles the death penalty is now unconstitutional. The article, Juvenile Death Penalty, incorporated a few different topics that we studied in the past week. It has to do with the United States and it's punishments for people who have committed murder. Something that i learned and i found shocking was that the United States has executed more juveniles than all other countries combined. The death penalty is immensely serious and only terrible crimes are considered for it, but what was being questioned is if the offenders actually deserved such a terrible punishment. It said that many of the adolescents and teens that were under consideration to have the death penalty or who have already had it, had terrible upbringings, with physical or sexual abuse, a low IQ, and intensive substance abuse. Another reason it is unjust is because adolescents brains are far less developed that adult brains. Resent studies that proved this was by using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans on the brain. The petitioners of this punishment say that accusers should undergo rehabilitation.  I 100% think that there should not be a death penalty for adolescents and teens, not even adults, but that is besides the point. If a teen had committed such a crime then i think there is something seriously wrong with them and they need psychological help.