Juveniles, Waivers to Adult Court, and the Associated Hypocrisy

            Juvenile justice in the United States is extremely unique and poses serious questions about how we are seen by other cultures throughout the world.  Meaning that in many states, if not all, we treat children as if they are adults; and not only during courtroom or correctional-like settings.  To elaborate further, during police investigations we treat juveniles as if they are matured adults who fully comprehend their actions – obviously this is an idea that is false!  Police investigators have some restrictions for when it applies to investigating or interviewing children, however the same principles are apparent if you watch or read any interviews or investigations by police officers when they speak to or observe children who are accused of committing a crime.  The nature of the conversation usually entails questions in a daddy-like or mommy-like voice that is done in order to solicit information.  Not exactly sure if this is ethical or a proper thing to do to a child; even if they are in their mid-teens or late-teens [the mommy-like and daddy-like voices usually go away for this older group of kids] and are guilty as guilty can be.  These interviews/investigations are then used by courtroom staff so that justice can be pursued, but in some cases they lay the framework for these horrible things that we call “adult waivers.”

Adult waivers are exactly what they sound like, a waiver to adult court for some kid that has unfortunately found themselves in the criminal justice system.  The adult waivers are based on cognitive awareness of the children who the police and health professionals spoke with.  Our entire justice system comes to light with these aforementioned actions; which is intent.  Spell it, read it, know it, America. I. N. T. E. N. T.  My mind becomes confused when these course of actions are done.  Specifically, I think about how a person who is not considered to be an adult by law [age restrictions], requires psychological assistance during some interview/investigation processes, needs permission from parents or guardians to be interviewed, and has anatomical features [mostly their brains] that are yet to be fully developed can become an adult because of a group of people and a piece of paper.  Holy shit.  Think about what I just expounded!  Stop putting kids in jail is the short answer.  However, the more complex answer comes about due to the nature of the criminality.  Difficult situations to ponder about and hard to digest.  Again, even if a child is guilty as all hell, and has committed some horrible crime, the fact remains that we have standards that deem what a child is.  There it is again though; the entire point that our system operates on. I. N. T. E. N. T.  The intent of a child is what we punish, and since intent stems from cognition we punish the person who delivered this intent, but we have juvenile justice standards that say a person who meets particular criteria is not as responsible as a matured adult.  What a fucking mess!  Now, here comes the really messed up part.

Juvenile detention facilities.  Ugh.  Child jails/prisons are a location that labels a child after their adult waivers to criminal courts in the most hypocritical fashion that I have ever seen.  For example, a person [a child] who is unable to enter an adult correctional facility because of their age, but somehow they were waived to an adult criminal court.  What the fuck?  Which is it?  Are the criminal kids considered to be juveniles or are they adults?  I am confused and I am an adult, at times.  Nevertheless, the associated hypocrisy of the adult waivers is quite evident and we need to figure this shit out very quickly.  Too many discrepancies exist. 

Overall, the associated hypocrisy with adult waivers to criminal court is exactly that, as well as a bunch of bullshit that needs to change.  Better programs, better systems, better police, better courts, better community actions, better parents, better services, and better policies is my answer.  Yet, much of this is difficult to do because of that word; I. N. T. E. N. T.  We punish undeveloped brains that are legally unable to make sound and responsible choices in a manner that suggests that the brains are fully developed and responsible, then, we further mess it all up and confuse the shit out of a child by sending them to juvenile detention facilities after we deem them as being fit to be waived to an adult court.  Fuck me, I am stressed after this one.  Stop putting kids in jail is my answer!  Fuck it.