Essay Sample on Four Juveniles Charged with Rape, Kidnapping & Unlawful Contact

Introduction

The case involved the Delaware police, who were charging four youths with the rape of a juvenile. Various relevant details in the case include the age of both the victim and the perpetrators and the availability of evidence proving that the four youths committed the crime. The four juveniles aged 12, two-13, and a 14-year-old faced accusation of raping the minor on 11th December 2019 (Ellis, & Watts, 2019).

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Nevertheless, the four were also charged with kidnapping and unlawful contact. In addition to that, two of the youths were facing charges of aggravated menacing for threatening the juvenile girl if she spoke to anyone about the terrible ordeal. The police were analyzing the possibilities of convicting the four juveniles as adults. The juveniles facing charges in the case received a cash bail of $65,000 to $104,000 (Ellis & Watts, 2019). The availability of the witnesses who are neighbors living in the estate where the rape occurred is also relevant in the case.

Background and Historical Information Associated with the Case

The juvenile justice system is the correctional practice and facilities which seek to rehabilitate children, especially under 18 years who commit unlawful acts. There are numerous cases of juveniles breaking the law since historic times. Some of the most common rules that youths break include vandalism, stealing, drug trafficking, and abuse, cars joyriding, shoplifting, simple assault, fighting, skipping school, as well as carrying weapons. Nevertheless, cases of juvenile delinquency involving rape and murder are also prevalent. The minimum sentencing for rape case amongst the youth is two years, and maximum sentencing of life imprisonment.

In the 1500s, the children who committed criminal activities received the same harsh sentences as adults (Thompson, & Morris, 2016). There was no discrimination for the lawbreakers based on their age as both juveniles and adults went to the same jails. Everyone received the same treatment regardless of the crimes committed. In the 1800s, movements advocating for the rights of children and saving children who committed criminal activities begun. These movements led to the establishment of the New York House of Refuge in 1825, whose primary purpose was to rehabilitate and reform juvenile delinquents (Thompson, & Morris, 2016). The continued efforts of the advocates of the rights of children led to the creation of the first court handling juvenile delinquency in Illinois in 1899 through the establishment of the Juvenile Courts Act of 1899 (Thompson, & Morris, 2016).

The Key Issues with the Case

The four youths face charges of gang-rape. The case is one of the cases not very common among the juveniles. The prosecuted kids are young and have committed a serious criminal offense. Unlike the minor instances that involve a simple rehabilitation process, the outcomes of the case have serious consequences both to the offenders and the offended. There is a higher possibility that young kids may face life imprisonment. They may also spend almost twice their ages in prison or rehabilitation facilities. The primary problem in the case is the decision to charge the youths as adults, as suggested by the prosecutors in the case. The children are at an early stage of development. Charging them as adults will interfere with their rehabilitation and development processes. The fact that the case involves juveniles is critical in determining the outcomes of the case. There have been instances where the cases, especially rape cases involving children, end up unsolved with parties deciding to solve the case in a consensus. Furthermore, such cases involve a lot of emotions, with some people advocating for the more lenient sentencing for offenders.

The Impact of the Case on the Victim

The girl, who is the victim in the case, is currently undergoing emotional stress as well as physical injuries from the rape. She is equally a juvenile who wishes to see the offenders brought to justice for the rape offense. The girl has close ties with the offenders since they live within the same neighborhood and attend the same school with three of the four offenders. If the four get harsh imprisonment sentences, the girl may have a sense of relief that justice has finally prevailed. There is a possibility of a long term psychological retribution that she was the reason behind the incarceration of the boys, thereby destroying their lives. There are numerous cases of rape victims suffering from regrets following the imprisonment of people with whom they were close.

Nevertheless, the harsh sentencing of the offenders will give the victim hope, and a sense of security since the people threatening her life will be in jail. The girl's parents are also victims in the case. They currently feel bad and regret that they were not there to protect their child. They, therefore, seek to ensure that the offenders face the law. The outcome of the case will bring them peace of mind and relief if the young boys face strong judgment. Anything other than that can stir emotional reactions that can lead to grudges and constant conflicts with the offenders.

Successful Aspect of the Case

The prosecutors, the police, in this case, have expertly played their part in collecting reliable evidence admissible in court. The police have also gathered witnesses who are vital in the case, including the doctors that examined that girl and the people in the neighborhood where the alleged rape took place. These witnesses were critical in helping to identify the boys that they were seen coming out of the house the day when the crime occurred. The youths are young children who might not interfere with the case. The fact that they were granted bails as the hearing continues is a thriving aspect in the case. It indicates that the outcomes of the case will not favor any of the participants.

Thoughts of the Effectiveness of the Judicial System Handling the Case

The judicial system has demonstrated in the case that the outcome of any case depends on the evidence presented and the ability of both the prosecutor and the defense attorney to argue out the situation. The current issue at hand is the provision of bail for the offenders. The judicial system has no business in denying young children with no ability to interfere with the case. The legal system indicates that it will expertly handle the situation by giving the children cahs bails, which is their absolute right. The current issue at hand is whether to charge juveniles as adults or prosecute them in the juvenile courts. Although there are many cases of young children being tried as adults, such trials are a violation of the rights of children. Therefore, the effectiveness of the judicial system will be eminent in its ability to reject such actions.

References

Thompson, K. C., & Morris, R. J. (2016). History of the juvenile justice system. In Juvenile Delinquency and Disability (pp. 55-72). Springer, Cham.

Ellis, R., & Watts, A. (2019, January 19). Delaware police charge 4 youths, ages 12 to 14, in rape of juvenile. Retrieved on 24, February 2020 from https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/19/us/delaware-juveniles-charged-with-rape/index.html