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Arlayna Deese

English 4 Honors

Mrs. DeBock

27 April 2017

Real World Experience Narrative Writing

In the beginning of the semester, when I started the Senior Exploration I was unsure of

what topic would be most beneficial to me. I ultimately chose to research juvenile offenders.

After finishing my research I focused my service hours on juvenile convictions. The process of

sentencing a juvenile, that is my age or younger, for a heinous crime like murder or rape

intrigued me. I learned the biggest debate of juvenile offenders was if they should be processed

and sentenced as an adult regarding their age and the crime they committed. I contacted multiple

courts, stations and departments that would benefit my research on juvenile convictions.

Eventually I was able to find people who were willing to answer a few questions about juveniles.

I had a few phone calls with the director of the Department of Juvenile Justice and was in contact

through email with an officer at the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

To begin the real world experience part of this project I made a few emails to a local

solicitor that dealt with the sentencing of an offender. Unfortunately, he was never able to get

back to me and help with my service hours. I had also made a few phone calls to local courts, but

they were not willing and interested for me to shadow them. I continued my research for a place

that could be most beneficial to my research and eventually found people who were happy to

help. I called the Horry County Department of Juvenile Justice and spoke to the director, Mrs.

Miracle. We both made arrangements to communicate over the phone because of both of our

busy schedules. On Friday April 14, 2017 after I got out of school.
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I learned a great deal of information that deals with the process of a juvenile trail. She

informed me most judges, and in most cases, will sentence a juvenile to a correctional program

or put on probation rather than being sent to jail. This is so they can be helped rather than

punished in a jail. It also gives them a chance to correct themselves so they are kept out of the

court system. We had a long conversation of what goes on behind the conviction. I asked her a

few personal thought questions such as should a juvenile be able to be tried as an adult no matter

their age. She responded by telling me it would depend on the circumstances regarding their

crime, like how serious of a crime and what the background of the child is. She was also willing

to share her personal life and how she chose to work in juvenile justice as a career. When I got

off the phone with Mrs. Miracle I had learned a new perspective of juvenile convictions.

After my contact with the Department of Juvenile Justice I wanted to learn more about

the beginning of the process, like what actions are taken when a juvenile is first caught and

arrested for a crime. I contacted the Myrtle Beach Police Department and was able to email an

officer. He informed me that when juveniles are caught for an unlawful act the officer is suppose

to contact the parent as soon as possible. The circumstances surrounding the crime is how the

officer chooses to either release the adolescent to their parents or place the offender under arrest.

Most juveniles that are caught committing a crime usually have a history with the law. If the

officer chooses to arrest the minor they are to take them to a Probation officer. From there the

probation officer will explain the consequences more in depth to the offender. It is then decided

whether the minor will have to be tried in a court or released. After a few brief emails with the

officer I learned a better understanding of the process that a juvenile has to go through when

charged of a crime.
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After my real world experiences, I better understand the process of a juvenile offender.

Police officers work hard to keep their community safe from crime even if it is a young adult.

Others work to prevent juvenile crime and put them on the right track. The Department of

Juvenile Justice is committed to helping juveniles to the best of their ability. The service hours I

have experienced has helped my research to better understand juvenile offenders and

convictions.