26 February 2020 “Reflections assignment”

“Even 14-Year-Olds Who Kill Are Not Adults”​ -Editorial Board of the New York Times
1. An explicit position: From the headline, the explicit position is that minors should not be
tried as adults under any circumstances. “​Even 14-Year-Olds Who Kill Are Not Adults
If the young teens accused in Tessa Majors’s murder are convicted, a 1978 law could
deny them a chance at redemption” (The New York Times)
2. A response to what others have said or done: This article starts off with the murder case
of Tessa Majors. Rashaun Weaver and Luchiano Lewis are the 14-year olds who are
being charged with second degree murder as adults in the state of New York. This article
is a response to the previous trials of minors as adults and an attempt to gain attention to
the idea that minors should not be tried as adults. ​This also labels the charges against
Rashaun Weaver and Luchiano Lewis as a second tragedy. It’s implied that the first
tragedy is Tessa Major’s death.
3. Appropriate background information: There is background information provided on the
subject of Tessa Majors’ death and how this case isn’t groundbreaking in any way. It
gives more information on past cases where minors have been tried as adults and gives
history on how these laws came into place. ​“There’s information on how states like New
York immediately try children as young as 13 in the cases of second-degree murder and
other felony sex crimes.” (The New York Times) This information is intended to sway
opinions by expressing how the laws in certain states are unfair.
4. A clear indication of why the topic matters: The “so what” explains how it’s wrong to try
minors as adults in any circumstance due to the implications and circumstances that come
with it afterwards. The article is advocating rehabilitation instead of punishment. ​“Family
court judges also have more resources at their disposal to address the complex needs of
these children, and can focus on rehabilitation rather than just punishment.” (The New
York Times) This quote is meant to establish how vulnerable and malleable children are,
and calls for sympathy because children are still able to be rehabilitated and become
productive members of society.
5. Good reasons and evidence: There is scientific research that the article uses to show how
trying minors as adults creates a more dangerous society. They explain how there’s a
greater chance of crime if a minor is tried as an adult compared to if they were in the
juvenile justice system. Combining that with the depiction of the U.S. as a country that
relies on violence, the article uses that to create a more sympathetic standpoint. ​“The
research on the matter is overwhelming. It shows that ​adolescent brains are different​ than
those of adults, making adolescents less likely to exercise impulse control, assess risk or
consider long-term consequences. Younger offenders are ​more likely to suffer from
mental illness​ than their peers. Many are readily capable of being ​rehabilitated​. There is
also evidence that trying children as adults may make society more dangerous. One
study, for instance, found that adolescents tried in adult court were ​34 percent more likely
 to be ​rearrested than those tried in the juvenile justice system. ​Another​ found that those
incarcerated as adolescents had poorer physical and mental health as adults.” (The New
York Times) The purpose of these studies is to provide tangible forms of evidence that
the readers can latch on if they want to pursue the issue further. It’s meant to invite
investigation and interest.
6. Attention to more than one point of view: this article doesn’t really address other points
of view. There’s not a lot of talk on the opposition where people would say yes to trying
minors as adults. By not addressing the flip side of the argument and acknowledging their
views, it does weaken the argument.
7. An authoritative tone: It’s not that authoritative because I see the article as something
that’s trying to bring attention to an issue. It’s firm on a stance but it isn’t authoritative. It
calls for a change, but it’s not really pushing.
8. An appeal to readers’ values: The article does appeal to the sympathetic side of reader’s
values, because it’s calling for leniency for minors that commit major crimes.

Works Cited

Board, The Editorial. “Even 14-Year-Olds Who Kill Are Not Adults.” ​The New York Times​, The
New York Times, 22 Feb. 2020,
www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/opinion/sunday/murder-14-year-old-adult.html.