Why are we trying children as adults?

Re: “Teen accused in 7-year-old’s death ID’D,” Aug. 15 news story

Sixteen-year-old Jennie Bunsom has the brain of a child. Every action she took in this tragedy was the behavior of a tantruming 4-year-old but in a bigger, stronger body. As research has discovered, the parts of the brain that control impulse, think to the future, exert self-control, etc, are not fully there yet and Jennie was reportedly under stress when her nephew came into the room. She probably loved Jordan and never imagined that she might kill him with her actions. She belongs in juvenile court.

In 1892, an 11-year-old shot a man for his watch. He was imprisoned but fortunately nurtured and educated by the warden and his wife. In 2006, (former Post editor) Dick Kreck published his well-researched “Anton Woode, Boy Murderer,” which also describes the early efforts of Judge Ben Lindsey and others (e.g. Molly Brown) to establish a juvenile justice system. It was clear that children should be judged in a different court with efforts toward moving toward a contributing adult life.

Anton Woode, by the way, did move on to lead a self-supporting life with no record of any kind for criminal or violent behavior.

Now it seems that all cases with tragic outcomes are moved to adult court with no reference to this perpetrator’s mental development. We know even more now than we did a century ago when common sense guided us to set up different justice systems; why are we moving backward? Willa Allen, Westminster