Once you reach a certain age, you gain certain rights. You become old enough to have the ability to vote, buy a car, purchase alcoholic products at the local gas station, but most important would be the ability to be held accountable for your actions. The juvenile justice system was created to restore what can allow adolescents to develop an understanding of what they have done wrong and how they can change that behavior. The criminal justice system has reduced its emphasis on recovery, so there are far fewer parole and probation officers than there were then. This theory means punishing violators in the system. A crime is a crime and for this reason juveniles who commit violent crimes should be prosecuted the same as older adults. If minors who commit violent crimes were tried as adults and punished in the same way as adults, the number of violent crimes committed by minorities would decrease. The decline that has occurred in most of the United States during the last decade is similar to the fact that most states now allow juveniles to be tried as adults for violent crimes and all states have a procedure for transferring of minors in the adult penal system. Some transfers to adult court even occur automatically based on the child's age and crime. However, because this is regulated by individual states, there is no certainty as to which minors are transferred and for what crime. In general, however, violent crimes will decrease if a more severe sentence is assessed based on the juvenile being tried in adult court. Transfer to adult court, whether automatic or requiring legal supervision, should be available in all cases of violent crimes committed by young people. If these teenagers are committing… middle of paper… they are runaways or thieves. These crimes are not at all violent and harmful to society. It may actually be harmful for mild criminals to come into contact with young people who have committed violent crimes. In conclusion, public opinion on the issue is reasonably conclusive. The majority of the population believes that imprisonment is the way to prevent future crimes in both adults and juveniles. If violent juveniles were given significant prison sentences for their crimes as adults, they would be weakened from committing future crimes and perhaps receive mental help so that upon their eventual release they become productive members of society and not threats to helpless victims. Additionally, potential juvenile delinquents would be deterred from committing violent crimes, which would lead to an overall decline in violent crimes committed by juveniles..