http://www.oakseedessaycontest.com/blog/poll-should-a-13-year-old-be-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-without-parole/ Oakseed Ministries 2010 Essay Contest on Compassion and the Imprisoned Child Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:55:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.oakseedessaycontest.com/blog/poll-should-a-13-year-old-be-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-without-parole/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Nick Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:12:39 +0000 http://www.oakseedessaycontest.com/?p=58#comment-90 I was once a thirteen year old boy with no true understanding of the real world and how it worked. I did not understand my choices and how they affected others and myself including my future. I was a kid that only cared about eating, playing sports, music, and friends with no regard to the future. I did, though, understand that hurting someone was wrong. I believe that if a teenage person that puts effort into hurting someone else isn't in their right mind but has a mental issue that needs to be taken care of in the right way. As i said that I knew that hurting was wrong, it is appropriate to be punished for hurting or killing a person even if one is younger. But at a young age such as thirteen, understanding one's decision is different than being an older adult. I believe in a punishment that rehabilitates a teenager that gives him or her a second chance at life. (This would be hard for a victims family to accept but we all were once kids too) I was once a thirteen year old boy with no true understanding of the real world and how it worked. I did not understand my choices and how they affected others and myself including my future. I was a kid that only cared about eating, playing sports, music, and friends with no regard to the future. I did, though, understand that hurting someone was wrong. I believe that if a teenage person that puts effort into hurting someone else isn’t in their right mind but has a mental issue that needs to be taken care of in the right way. As i said that I knew that hurting was wrong, it is appropriate to be punished for hurting or killing a person even if one is younger. But at a young age such as thirteen, understanding one’s decision is different than being an older adult. I believe in a punishment that rehabilitates a teenager that gives him or her a second chance at life.
(This would be hard for a victims family to accept but we all were once kids too)

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