Morris A. Kent had his jurisdiction waived in juvenile court allowing him to be tried as an adult, after receiving no thorough investigation or hearing.
According to the Economist.com, Between 1990 and 2010 the amount of juveniles in adult jail went up by 230 percent. These children are sent to an adult jail when awaiting their trial, but many of these kids will return to the juvenile system in about a month, only to never be in contact with adult prisoners in the jail.
According to the Chicago Tribune in 2013 Colleen Ritzer was brutally killed in a davers public school by Philip Chism. Chism was 14 at the time and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. His Defense attorney Susan Oker asked for a sentence that would allow him to be on parole no age later than forty due to his mental state. Oker argued that that the defendants brain is not fully developed at his juvenile age and he was mentally ill.
Morris A. Kent was examined by two psychiatrics and a psychologist during his time before the trial. They certified that Kent is “A victim of severe psychopathology” according to Oyez.org. Kent should have received hospitalization instead of being transferred to an adult jail.
However many people do not agree that Kent should have a shorter sentence or should have received a thorough investigation of his case, instead people should examine Kent’s mental state and undeveloped brain. The waived jurisdictions as not the proper was to handle the case and Kent should have been allowed a sufficient investigation.
While Kent did commit a serious crime at the age of 16 he did not deserve the sentence he got. 30-90 years in prison with no correct hearing or examinations of his illness put Kent in a position that was not fair or right.