ON THE STREET

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "At what age do you think juvenile offenders should be charged as adults for serious crimes?"

Lynn Maret, Jackson

"Sixteen. I just think they're considered young men at the age of 16. At 16 he ought to know right from wrong."

Craig Chorn, Glenn Allen

"If they do an adult crime, if they murder somebody I think they ought to be charged as an adult, period, whether they're 12 years old ... if it's a heinous crime. It's getting younger and younger, man, these little kids are running around here killing people. I'd say at least by the age of 14 anyhow."

Miguel Fernandez, Cape Girardeau

"Fifteen. I was just trying to imagine what I thought when I was 15. When I was 15 I was fully aware of what I was doing."

Ludo Saenz, Cape Girardeau

"Fifteen. Now there are a bunch of kids getting away with doing stuff and I think if they drop the age below 17 -- at least 16 or 15 -- I think that some of the juvenile crime that's going on will get a little bit lower."

Jack Hinton, Cape Girardeau

"The kids nowadays are much more diligent and smarter than what they were 30 years ago. They see so much more. Ten years old. They're big enough to know right from wrong. They can pull a trigger. They can do about anything they want to. I say 10."