Legal age requirements for abortion and capital punishment access

¶ … age should the law regard an individual as an adult with regard to access to abortion?

The topic of abortion is special and often sparks heated discussion because, at the heart of the issue, lies the death of life in one form or another. While it does not seem fair to simply erase a mistake of this proportion, this practice is celebrated and well funded where it is accepted. Complicating the situation, and causing moral dilemmas, is allowing abortion in saving the pregnant mother from death. Adler, Ozer & Tschann (2003) pointed out that in many countries, abortion is illegal and America is in the minority of countries of where it is permitted. However within America, different states also vary their laws in adolescent abortion leading to creative discussion about the topic.

If the abortion is legal and morally accepted within a community, the age of the abortioner should not matter. If the life, or even potential life, of an unborn child may be forsaken, the age of its benefactor should not matter either. Arnett (2000) excused moral behavior because of age. This legal distinction between ages, while beneficial in some cases, argues against the case for younger mothers from aborting their children by unjustly creating different moral applications for different members of the same environment. The issue of parental consent also serves to confuse the situation because it assumes that all parents are more capable of making better decisions then their children. In many of my experiences the exact opposite seemed true. If Laws are indeed just, then they should apply to all persons, at all times, everywhere, regardless of color, sex, religion, and even age.

At what age should the law regard an individual as an adult with regard to the death penalty?

Steinberg, Cauffman, Woolard, Graham & Banich (2009) confused the argument of when to apply age-applicable law. Their statistical data does not add any significant weight in applying morals as to how old one must be to receive a government sponsored death. Psychological arguments aside, killing each other, no matter for what or done by whom, seems to be an unenlightened, unevloved position of experiencing life.