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Adolescents are increasingly committing crimes in certain societies. Some people argue that adolescents should receive the same punishment as adults for committing serious crimes. I agree with this statement because of the reasons which will be discussed in this essay.

Adolescents are mature enough to understand what is right and wrong. This is because in the modern society, they are exposed to various sources of information in the world through online and offline media. Unlike the teenagers of previous generations, young adults in the current society know just about everything. They know how to differentiate moral activities from immoral activities. Obviously, they are required to behave appropriately all the time.

When children between the age of 12 and 19 commit crimes, it is necessary that they should be punished appropriately in order to control their immoral behaviours. They should be punished in the same way as adults and it will become a lesson to all teenagers. If the judicial system is lenient towards young adults in terms of punishment, they will take it as an advantage and repeat crimes in future. Recently, in India some people brutally raped an eight year old girl. A teenager is also involved in this heinous crime. According to the police reports, the teenager who was involved in the crime inflicted more pain and injury to the child than adults. If this boy is not given the same punishment as other adults, it is sure that he will repeat the same offense in future. Lives of many young girls will be jeopardised if the legal system does not punish him adequately.

In conclusion, teenagers should also be given the same punishment as adults in order to control their criminal tendencies because they are mature enough to differentiate legal activities from illegal activities.