Juvenile Crime and Punishment: Justice or Injustice In recent years the crime rate for juveniles has escalated and violent criminal acts are now being committed by younger children. In hopes of deterring juvenile crime, many states are now wavering juveniles to adult courts. Once the youth is trialed, he or she is subjected to the same tough sentences as an adult, including imprisonment in adult facilities and in some cases the death penalty. Some experts say that there are several risk factors caused by societies thirst for violence that contributes to the rising number of youths committing violent cr