Serious violent crimes among people who are under-18 are becoming more common. Some people think that children who commit serious crimes should be treated like adults, while others would say that they should be rehabilitated.

Major violent offences are being carried out by children more often. While some would argue that they should get the same treatments as grown-ups, I believe they should be treated differently and rehabilitation is a better option. On the one hand, treating young violent criminals like they are over-18 gives the victims justice. Someone who has lost a loved one would find it very difficult if the perpetrator was not sentenced to prison because they are not old enough. Their relative is still dead or injured no matter how old the criminal is.

For example

, the mother of Jamie Bulger said that it was like the crime happening all over again when she heard her son's murderers were released earlier than expected because they committed the crime when they were only 11 years old.

However

, I believe that a criminal's age should be taken into consideration because they are not fully developed as human beings.

On the other hand

, it is thought that children who carry out violence are not aware of their actions because of their age. A young child does not know, to the same degree as adults, that their violent actions will result in death or serious injury.

This

is why young murderers in the United Kingdom are rehabilitated and give new identities so that they can live a normal adult life outside of prison. I believe

this

school of thought is preferable because it helps the young criminal reform and ensures that they do not carry out serious crimes again. In conclusion,

although

sending young criminals who have committed violent atrocities to adult prisons gives the victims some justice, the criminals themselves should

also

be seen as victims, because they were not aware of their actions and

that is

why trying to make them model citizens again is a more preferable option.