I've just been arguing whole heartedly with a friend for over an hour on this subject. I am infuriated with the justice system here in Florida concerning juveniles.

My brother works as an attorney in the juvenile section of the court, and repeatedly complains on how these juveniles he works with are the same every single week. He has 700 cases a week, and he could recite to you by memory the name and entire backround of every case, they've been there so often. Whats worse, is he can't do anything about it. It is overall the judge that decides the penalty, which is usually something like ten more community service hours and a lengthened parole, which means nothing if someone already has a long parole ahead of them.

My brother continues on complaining, that he does nothing but shuffle paperwork, because by law, he is not allowed to induce or come up with any sentences. As stated previously, only the judge is allowed to do so.

This is getting ridiculous. I fully believe in giving people a chance. Sometimes people make mistakes as a kid, and should be given a chance to rectify themselves. But thats just it. They should be given A chance. One. If they cannot learn from that one chance, that means more strict punishment should be enforced.

When I was younger, I made a mistake, and was taken through the juvenile court system. In all seriousness, that scared the shit out of me, and I've never done anything wrong again. I was given community service hours, a fine, bookwork to do, work in volunteering with court, essays to write on how what I had done was wrong, write an apology letter to both my parents and to where I had gotten arrested at. If I didn't learn from that, and I got arrested again, then I should fully be given a more harsher sentence.

These kids that my brother deals with, know that they can get away with everything they do. If they know this, then why not do it again? Theres a certain limit to giving juveniles a chance to change their lives around. If they're coming back repeatedly, they're obviously not learning their lesson.

The court system needs to be changed, and quickly. This is the reason why kids are lashing out these days as badly as they are. Because they know there really isn't any kind of punishment awaiting them.