Queensland’s new laws will allow children as young as 10 to be sentenced as adults for serious crimes, a policy championed by the LNP government as prioritizing victims’ rights. While the government cites community outrage and claims it will deter crime, experts and international bodies like the UN condemn the changes, citing evidence that harsher penalties don’t reduce youth crime and violate children’s human rights. The legislation removes provisions favoring non-custodial sentences, increases the likelihood of lengthy police cell stays, and disproportionately affects Indigenous children. Despite data showing a fourteen-year decline in youth crime, the government maintains the changes are necessary.
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Being a teenage ‘railroad enthusiast’ myself, the recent news of Zachary Hertzler being charged as an adult in the Bennet train derailment case hits close to home. It saddens me to see a fellow enthusiast being involved in such a serious incident. The decision to charge Hertzler as an adult brings up many questions and concerns about the justice system and how we handle cases involving minors.
The fact that Hertzler, who is only turning 18 next month, will be tried as an adult raises the issue of whether the current age for being tried as an adult should be reconsidered.… Continue reading
This plea deal in the case of the fatal beating of a Las Vegas high schooler is nothing short of a travesty. Four teenagers agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, a plea that will keep them from being tried as adults and will ultimately be expunged from their records when they turn 21. The victim, who was defending his friend, was brutally attacked by four individuals, resulting in his untimely death. The fact that this vicious attack was recorded and shared on social media should have been enough evidence for a solid case against these perpetrators.
The victim’s father rightfully called his son a hero for defending his friend, who was being bullied.… Continue reading
I cannot begin to fathom the unimaginable tragedy that occurred when a 12-year-old girl was accused of smothering her 8-year-old cousin over an iPhone. The sheer horror of this situation is incomprehensible. The fact that this young girl not only took another life but also attempted to cover it up by repositioning and cleaning the victim is beyond disturbing. It shows a level of criminal intent and predatory behavior that is chilling to think about.
The timeline of events is harrowing – the older child waiting for the cousin to sleep before committing such a heinous act is truly abhorrent. The juvenile nature of these individuals makes this event even more shocking.… Continue reading
The incident in Utica where police shot and killed a 13-year-old male has stirred up a range of emotions and raised many questions. The terminology used in headlines and reports, such as referring to the victim as a “13-year-old male,” seems deliberately clinical and detached. Why not simply say, “Utica police killed a 13-year-old boy”? The choice of language matters because it strips the humanity away from the victim and reduces him to a statistic.
The details of the incident paint a complex picture. The juvenile allegedly fled from the police and displayed what appeared to be a real handgun, which later turned out to be a pellet gun.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker