Every time Americans tune into local news broadcasts or read daily papers，they are likely to be shocked at the increasing number of serious crimes committed by youths who are only sixteen years old or even younger.It is sometimes difficult to imagine these youngsters behaving like hardened criminals，but statistics continually prove that their crimes are often just as brutal as those committed by their adult counterparts.Inevitably，people begin questioning how successful the juvenile justice system is in reforming these youths and debating whether violent juveniles should be tried as adults in our legal system.I feel there is no question that juveniles convicted of serious crimes should face the same consequences as adults.

　　While the teenage population in the United States has declined over the past decade，violent crimes committed by juveniles have sharply increased.It is common knowledge that the youth murder-arrest rate has climbed dramatically.Examples of teen crime are vivid and terrifying.Newspapers and television frequently report that youths with no apparent motives have shot and killed other people.The effect on both families and society is large.

　　Despite the increase in serious crimes committed by young offenders，the punishment which juveniles receive has traditionally almost never fit the severity of the crimes.Since the system has historically viewed children as not being fully developed，physically or mentally，it has prevented them from being held accountable for their wrongdoing.Although many of these“children”commit horrible crimes，they have been routinely treated as victims of society.Until very recently，1ighter sentences and court proceedings have been the norm.The message they sent to serious juvenile criminals is that crime “pays” because there are no serious consequences for their actions.When the system lacks an element of fear，there is nothing to prevent youthful offenders from committing future crimes.The current trend of assigning adult sentences to youths who commit serious crimes is absolutely just if the punishment is to fit the crime.

　　Most pro-rehabilitation advocates argue that juvenile criminals are completely different from adult ones and should，therefore，be treated differently in the justice system.However，the cost to society is the same regardless of the age of the criminal.What comfort does it give to the family of a killed or injured victim that the person who killed or hurt their loved one was a minor? Families suffer no less because their relatives are shot by young offenders.Instead of treating the loser who murders innocent people like a victim of society，this person should be treated like any other person who victimizes society and causes pain to individuals and communities.

　　Tougher measures must be taken to combat this growing problem of juvenile crime.In today‘s society，too many juveniles count on light sentences given by the juvenile justice system.Lawyers can help a vicious criminal receive a short sentence，and return to the streets to commit more crimes.When there are no harsh consequences of being caught，committing crimes can be perceived as having positive benefits.As a result，juveniles are continuing to become more violent and 1ess concerned with the value of human life.

　　Rehabilitation，recommended by many as the solution to juvenile crime，should be directed only towards youths who have committed minor offenses.However，the juveniles who commit serious crimes should be tried as adults.A message has to be sent that we will no longer tolerate brutal crimes simply because of the age of the criminal.These youths must be held completely accountable for their crimes，suffering harsh consequences and ultimately realizing that they are no longer protected by the law.

　　1.It can be inferred that juvenile criminals are those____.

　　[A]who are under the age of 16 years old

　　[B]who are not accountable for the crimes they commit

　　[C]who can not tell major crimes from minor crimes

　　[D]who are more likely to become victims of the society

　　2.That violent juvenile crimes are on the rise is manifested by the fact that____.

　　[A]penalty for juvenile criminals is becoming more and more serious

　　[B]the society can no longer tolerate juvenile crimes

　　[C]youth murder-arrest rate has dramatically increased

　　[D]the young population has increased in the last ten years

　　3.The reason why young people are becoming increasingly violent is that____.

　　[A]the older they become，the stronger they are

　　[B]they receive lighter punishment than they should

　　[C]they do not know the value of human life

　　[D]there is now too much violence in newspaper and on television

　　4.According to the author，one reason why violent juvenile criminals should suffer the same fate as their adult counterparts is that____.

　　[A]there are as many juvenile crimes as adult crimes

　　[B]they have done equivalent injuries to the victim or the society

　　[C]they are clearly aware of what they are doing at the time of offence

　　[D]no other penalty can prevent them from committing future crimes

　　5.Pro-rehabilitation advocates insist that____.

　　[A]rehabilitation be directed only towards youths who commit minor crimes

　　[B]stricter sentences be given only to youths who commit brutal crimes

　　[C]a different justice system be applied to minors since they are not fully developed

　　[D]minors be held completely responsible for any kind of crimes they commit

　　答案與題解

　　1.[A] 參閱第一段第一句。

　　2.[C] 參閱第二段第二句。

　　3.[B] 參閱第三、四、五段，尤其是第五段。

　　4.[B] 參閱第四段第二、三、四句。

　　5.[C] 參閱第四段第一句和第三段第一、二句。

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