Before children can even talk they know when they are up to no-good - you can see it in the way they glance back at you with a mischievous grin before proceeding with what they know they shouldn't do.
To me, age is no excuse for committing crimes.
That said, a 17-year-old who makes one bad decision and finds himself in court facing a relatively minor charge should not have to be hindered by that for the rest of his life.
The youth court still needs to deliver a sentence that will deter them from future crime. They need to face some sort of punishment and own up to their mistakes, but they deserve a second chance.
We may not have found ourselves standing in a dock facing a judge, but we've all done things we regret.
However, those who commit serious, violent crimes and/or are repeat offenders should continue to be dealt with in adult courts. Just because they are young does not mean there are different rules.
They are old enough to know what they are doing is illegal so they need to face the full force of the law.
We need our judges to use their discretion on a case by case basis but take a tough stance if we are to set our young offenders on the right path.
