heinous crime by children

Heinous Crimes Committed by Kids

Introduction

A heinous crime is defined as an evil act. Family characteristics such as poor parenting skills, family size, home discord, child maltreatment, and antisocial parents are some of the roots of these heinous crimes.

 

The Dark Side of Childhood: Unprincipled Acts and Heinous Crimes

Children are regarded as minors; otherwise, they are known as people who are younger than the age of the majority. Children generally have fewer rights and responsibilities than adults and cannot make serious decisions. However, they are associated with a different meaning when they start doing unprincipled acts. Throughout the 1800s and 1900s, they were referred to as “fiendish juveniles,” but they were just youngsters who cruelly tormented and frequently brutally murdered other humans, children, and adults.

 

Heinous Crimes

So, what does the world tell us about children? From fairy tales to advertisements, movies, cartoons, and music videos, minors are seen as listening, obeying, and helpful. Although they may be mischievous, it is normalized as part of growth, which has been a powerful marker of being a child. However, some children, if not most, have unfortunate backgrounds and, as a result, resort to committing deep and dark acts, like heinous crimes. Just because you haven’t heard about it doesn’t mean it wasn’t done, mostly by minors. This article delves deeper into these crimes.

 

The Case of Sbonelo Kgomo and the Debate on Juvenile Justice

For instance, in Johannesburg’s Alexandra, Sbonelo Kgomo, then 14 years old, admitted in 2018 that he had been using his mother’s gun at work since she was a police officer. The gun was kept in a safe, and the son had access to the key because his mother was in the hospital. He brought it out to show his friend, but he accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting him in the face. Kgomo and the friend were alone in the house during this incident. He immediately rushed out into the garden to shout for assistance, and the neighbours helped and transported him to the hospital, where he was later declared dead. The mother was accused of being careless and negligent, and the boy was sentenced to five years since he was a minor. Should minors committing heinous crimes be treated as juveniles? However, the new generation matures at a very early age due to societal changes, raising a valuable question: are they mature enough to deal with the consequences?

 

Conclusion

The legislation should consider the offence’s parameters rather than the person’s age because the offender, who knows the nature of their crime, is also well aware of the consequences. Therefore, any minor who has attained or is above sixteen years of age committing any heinous crime should be treated as a juvenile until all facts and circumstances are considered.

 

Lesego Mogatle

VIEW ALL POSTS

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *