For Determined SentencingDetermined sentencing is becoming increasingly popular in juvenile courts. This is a special law that allows a minor to serve a sentence beyond 21 years. It specifically covers certain violent offenses and drug cases, such as murder, capital murder, sexual assault, and indecency with a child. Aggravated controlled substance cases are also covered (TYC website). The alternative to determinate sentences is blended sentencing, which allows judges to give offenders both juvenile and adult sentences. Depending on the offender's behavior while serving their juvenile sentence, a post-juvenile security stage occurs to determine whether or not their adult sentence should be suspended or invoked (Belshaw et al, 2011). Personally, I support the use of determinate sentencing. for these offenders and I believe the criminal justice system would not use them. This is considered a heinous crime and they should not be shown leniency. At the age of 12-14, young people know that murder is wrong, and the fact that this young man lost his life at the age of 19 due to an IPOD is atrocious. As we discussed in class, these offenders do not end up where they are because of their first offense. They are repeat offenders and violent offenders. This is precisely why they should remain behind bars. It bothers me that juveniles are generally released from prison at 21. I think that offenders facing the death penalty should absolutely be transferred to an adult prison. It is not fair to allow a minor to kill someone and get out of prison a year or two later just because he is under eighteen. Huber's (2005) book, "Last Chance in Texas," tells stories of attempts to ge... ... middle of paper ...... age population or to meet their unique needs in as a very young prisoner (Deitch, 2011). Works Cited Belshaw, SH, Caudill, JW, Delisi, M. and Trulson, CR (2011). A problem of adequacy: Extreme offenders, mixed sentences, and the determinants of continued adult sanctions. Criminal Justice Policy Review. 22(3) p. 263Deitch, M. (2011). Juveniles in the Texas Adult Criminal Justice System, Austin, Texas: University of Texas at Austin, LBJ School of Public AffairsHubner, J. (2005). Last chance in Texas. The redemption of young criminals. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks. Knox, A. (2007). Blakely and blended sentencing: a constitutional challenge to the sentencing of “criminal” children. The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.TYC Webiste http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/about/sentenced_offenders.html (received December 9, 2011).