Dead Teen Walking

I don't agree with placing teens on death row; especially in a case like this where there is so much information that was not brought to the attention of the defense. In the article Miriam Shehane, President of Victims of Crime and Leniency said, "If someone does adult crime, they are acting as adults, and they have to take responsibility." I agree with her logic however; later in the article the idea that child abuse is linked with juvenile offenders is brought to attention. Adults who have lived outside of an abusive home have had time to grow out of that environment and create the lifestyle they choose. If the lifestyle they choose involves murder and the evidence is CLEAR I would agree with the death penalty. For children or teens still living in that abusive atmosphere that environment is going to affect their behavior.

In White Fang he had to adjust to a variety of environments. White Fang was born innocent with wolf instinct and adjusted to the wild. He learned to hunt and kill in order to live. In the wild environment, "To those that survived it was not tragedy, but realization and achievement" (33). Hunting and killing was not a tragedy in the wild; it was an achievement to be alive.

As White Fang continued more adjustments were made. Eventually the time spent away from abuse allowed White Fang to mold again. He experienced love and learned to love. So if teens are taken away from the abuse who is to say they can't experience love and learn to love?

The cases discussed in the article both deal with child abuse the effects of abuse on the teenage mind. Child abuse is no excuse for becoming a murderer but injuries to the head and psychiatric problems going without treatment can only affect the teenage mind. And if we kill a murderer what does that make us? It only seems to create an endless cycle of killing.

I'm not oblivious to violence and murder. It does make me sick to think about the people who commit murder but I also believe that a persons' environment and upbringing effects their actions and I do believe that people can change if given the chance.