The debate will go on forever because our justice system is one that is fluid, it is subjective, and is adjustable, but the debate about trying teens as children or as adults is being had in Arlington County right now.

A 17-year-old is alleged as committing six sex or assault crimes against women in the Arlington and Alexandria area in the last few weeks. Incidents as “minor” as pulling down the pants of a woman that escaped to as serious as severely beating and wounding another woman. Seventeen years old. I honestly don’t understand what the question is here – sure this guy might have life issues that contributed to his behavior but someone that commits – yes, allegedly – these types of crimes and in serial nature needs to be punished and removed from society at the greatest extent.

If they don’t try and [eventually] prosecute this teenager if he’s found guilty as an adult, they’ll just be doing it again in a year when he does it again.