Responsible enough for jail but not voting?

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006

The Gazette Web site on Aug. 15 mentions 17-year-old murderer Alphonso Jones [‘‘Forestville teen pleads guilty in murder case”]. Even though he is only 17, he clearly knew what he did was wrong. So he will pay adult consequences.

But what if Mr. Jones were law-abiding? Let’s say he wanted to vote this November for our next governor. He can’t. He is younger than 18 and therefore not considered cognizant enough to be a voting citizen. What if he needed to drive his friend home after midnight? He cannot do this either, due to restrictions placed on under-18 drivers. These laws exist because we assume you are always irresponsible until your 18th birthday.

Mr. Jones demonstrates an exception to this rule. He is just as underage as those prohibited from voting or certain driving, yet we hold him just as accountable for crime as an adult?

This is a dangerous double standard in our society. How can you say teens are just immature, mindless kids when they want to do good things like vote and drive a stranded friend home, but call them mature responsible adults if they commit murder?

Katrina Moncure, Rockville