“You want to hit me? Hit me, hit me!”, a drunk teenage boy yells at the police. There are dozens of Soju bottles and cigarettes on the motel floor. The owner even received calls complaining about the noise the boys were making. When the owner finally visited the room, he found 5 drunk teenage boys running around, messing up the motel room they stayed in. In spite of these rude and criminal actions of the boys, the police are not able to do anything, just because they are minors. South Korea has a “Juvenile Law” that protects juveniles under 14 from all severe punishments. This means that even though a juvenile commits a serious crime like murder or theft, they will not be punished in any way. Critics say that this law is unfair and that some juveniles abuse this law and commit crimes without any concern. Currently, the number of juvenile offenders is increasing by the year. Recently, many are constantly requesting the revision of the juvenile law in order to lower crime and recidivism rates.
A reason why the juvenile law should be revised is that juveniles are aware of this law. Today, children are easily exposed to the media, being able to get most of the information they need online. By using the internet and social media, juveniles would be aware of the juvenile law, committing crimes without worrying about punishment. One police officer stated, "These teenagers know that they will not be severely punished by the law even if they commit a serious crime. There are times that these kids just outright say they know this." This is also proven through certain cases of juvenile crime. Teenagers who have committed crimes have stated: "Oh well, it's not like we're going to be punished severely anyway." In addition, some have even mocked the police by yelling “Kill me” repeatedly. Due to this law, the authority has become powerless. There is no need for the authorities to arrest and punish juveniles. Instead, they are now protecting juvenile offenders so that they can reflect on their atrocities, and mend the damage. However, this isn’t the case at all. Juvenile delinquents are aware through multiple evasion of severe punishment that they end up repeating criminal acts, which makes the law redundant.
Another reason for the revision of juvenile law is fairness. In most cases, juveniles are able to leave without any punishment despite their severe crime. Some juveniles commit extreme felonies including murder and theft. Although juveniles are immature and might lack the ability to make the right decisions, they should still receive some kind of punishment since they have committed a serious crime. If they aren’t punished properly, it will increase delinquency rates. Since they know that they won’t be punished, they will repeat offenses without feeling any guilt. In addition, without justified punishment, victims would never be able to gain any closure. Many say that it is extremely unjustified for someone to not receive any punishment when they have done something wrong, just due to the fact that they are young.
Finally, the Juvenile Law ruins the future of juveniles. Juvenile offenders continuously recidivate due to the Juvenile Law will have a negative impact on their morality. Since they commit crimes frequently, they will become more aggressive and violent, negatively impacting their future. Victims will have to suffer, too. Again, without a strong, justified punishment given to juvenile criminals, the victims and their families will never be able to forgive the offender. Most juvenile crimes are committed toward other juveniles of similar age. Juveniles of a young age are more likely to be affected by crimes, having suicidal thoughts, and even committing suicide. According to a study, more than 42% of children who have suffered from crime, violence, or bullying have had suicidal thoughts. This statistic shows the impact crime and violence have on juveniles.
Recently, the Korean Juvenile Law has been a very controversial issue. The topic has been discussed in movies and dramas. Many are agreeing with these films, arguing that this law should be abolished. They can cause numerous problems such as suicidal thoughts and an increase in recidivism rates. The effectiveness of this law has been proven through research and statistics. It can be easily inferred that the law is useless by looking at the juvenile crime rates and suicide rates of victims. Youths are meant to be the societies’ hope for the better future, but with neglection of this problematic system present in the judicial system in the 21st century, it questions the idea of justice and the governing bodies that protect the juvenile criminals from punishment. It is evident that the current law is actually triggering more juvenile delinquencies, and if actions are not implemented, the spark of hope for a better society will diminish rapidly, causing more tragedy than stability.
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