2 • BENNETT BANNER - APRIL 9, 1998
OPINION • OPINION • OPINION • OPINION • OPINION
Kenya A.
Samuels
If you are old enough to do the crime
you are old enough to serve the time
Should guilty juveniles spend time in adult prison?
This is one of the major questions that has surfaced since 13-year-
old Mitchell Johnson and 11-year-old Andrew Golden - the two
boys charged with killing five innocent people in Arkansas, March
24. The two youths are awaiting trial and according to Arkansas
law, if found guilty, they may be sentenced to serve time in
a juvenile detention center until they turn 17.
After that, Mitchell and Andrew will be
transfered to a newly built corrections facility
where they will serve until they turn 21. Then
they will be released. Just a slap on the wrist. The enormity of such
a crime merits much more.
If Johnson and Golden were old enough to premeditate this
crime, then they should serve adult time for adult crimes. This
would not be an issue if the accused were black males; they would
be sitting under the jail. And there would not be a question as to
how much time they serve.
The families of the innocent victims will never see their loved
ones again and no amount of prison time will replace the emptiness
they must be feeling in their hearts.
Some have suggested that "rehabilitation" may help the two. I
am all for getting them the psychological help they need, but
counseling isn't enough.. They need to serve time with other
murders. Maybe then they will be truly sorry for what they did.
7%e opinion expressed in this column is theU of the author arid does not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the Bennett Banner staff.
Student Opinion Poll:
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What do you think should happen to the youth accused of the
Arkansas shootings? March 24, Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden killed
four female classmates and a teacher and wounded 11 others during a shooting rampage
at their middle school in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Photographs by Marie Dixon-Smith,
Banner Editorial Assistant and Photographer.
AKILAH WOODARD
CLASSiSOPHOMORE
MAJOR: ELEMENTARY ED.
HOME STATE; NEW YORK
The accused should be sent to
prison, and they need to spend
time in a place where they can
think about the serious crime
they committed Those kids have
some issues that need to be
addressed before they are able
to cope outside in the real world.
JENNIFER BOONE
CLASS; SENIOR
MAJORiMUSIC
HOME STATE; NEW YORK
TTte children obviously have
problems that prison carmotfix.
They need to be placed in a
mental institution. They seriously
need Jesus so that they can get a
sound mind.
VIOLET BAFFOUR
CLASS; SOPHOMORE
MAJOR: POLITICAL SCI.
HOME; GHANA
77ie boys committed a heinous
crime for no reason. As sad as it
is and as harsh as it may seem, I
think they deserve the death
penalty once they attain the age
of 18. It will not bring back the
lives they took but it will act as a
deterrent to others contemplat
ing on crime of a similar nature.
m
TANNA WATSON
CLASS: FRESHWOMAN
MAJOR: POLI SCI
HOME STATE; MARYLAND
I think the boys should not be
tried as adults. They should take
the responsiblity for their actions
and their wrong doing.
LAWANDA SMITH
CLASS: SOPHOMORE
MAJOR: BUS. ADMIN.
HOME STATE; CALIFORNIA
I believe the boys should be tried
as adults.
AISHA HART
CLASS: SOPHOMORE
MAJOR: SOCIAL WORK
HOME STATE; PENNSYLVANIA
The children in Arkansas should
be tried as adults. Regardless of
what sentence they receive,
they'll still be able to breathe
longer than their victims. It's
sad to see the world coming to a
time where children need to use
guns to express their feelings.