Peers Cause Violence

Family and Peers Cause Violence

There are crimes committed every day by people of all ages. But the crimes that are committed by juveniles are on the rise. Some of the crimes are non violent and some are violent which leads to serving time in prison. These children are taught violence at an early age, while in school, and from peers. Should these youths be punished with life in prison without parole? There are juveniles as young as 13 serving a life sentence without parole which leads to no future.

Violence in teens today can result from different things. Most of it results in life in prison without parole. It is being learned from their family, peers, and their environment. The violent behavior they see in there parent or parents such as physical and mental abuse. When children constantly witness a parent being beaten or talked to in a very harsh way they begin to act in that manner as they get older. They can also learn violence from their peers and environment such as gang violence and bulling. This is happening in the schools and the neighborhoods. Children target other children to lure them into gangs which results into violence. Bulling focuses on the weak by pushing them around and beating on them. Sometimes this will lead to killing the bully, the innocent and even themselves.

Violence leads to juveniles going to prison and serving life sentences for server crimes. Joe Sullivan broke into a house in Pensacola, Florida and stole coins and jewelry. After doing that the 72 year old woman that lived there was raped by him. After he was caught the judge found he had 17 priors of violent behavior and sentenced him to life imprisonment with no parole. He was only 13 years old and this fact alone makes the sentence unconstitutional, says Bryan Stevenson the Equal Justice Initiative (Bravin, 2009). But even with this verdict there are many people that feel this will be injustice.

In America back in 2005 there were 2...