Padilla 1

Jorge Padilla
Jackie Hymes
English 113A
11-1-15
When can Teenagers really be considered adults?
In the United States a person isnt legally seen as an adult until he or she reaches the age
of 18. However, in countries like Syria and Paraguay you can be recognized as an adult at the age
of 12. So where do we really draw the line in regards as to whether someone is mature enough to
being recognized as an adult? Many countries seem to think that 18 is the right age to hand
growing minors the ability to make the same choices that adults in the world can make.
Its been scientifically proven that the brain doesnt stop maturing around the age of 20 according
to News Medical. So then why arent countries raising their standards of the age in which people
should be considered adults.
After recently reading an article about an author discussing his thoughts on what age a
person becomes an adult. He states his opinions on why 18 is not the ideal age to give
independence to the adolescents in the United States for physiological reason. He explains that
teens have the same mental understanding and logical social stability as adults which is why they
can sometimes seem more mature than certain adults but can still lack reasoning which leads to
chaotic irrational behavior as noted by the supreme court (Daniel Slotnik). He does however
state that every 18-year-olds should be required to leave home and give a year to society, whether
it be to the army or a community based project.
Now in the United States once you reach the age of 18 you are given a certain set of
rights along with your independence as an adult. The following rights are, the right to vote, the

Padilla 2
right to marry without your parents permission, the right to buy a fire arm, the right to receive
medical attention without your parents consent, you can indicate yourself as an organ donor on
your license, you can apply to join the military without your parents consent, your parents arent
legally responsible for you, you can be called to jury duty, and you also have the access to buy
certain drugs. However, you arent given the right to consume alcohol until you reach the age of
21. However, at the age of 18 when you enlist in the army you are given the right to kill and have
a weapon put in your hands. Its understood why the drinking age is placed at the age of 21 since
the brain is in more physically mature state but why is the right to kill placed at such a young
age? According to Daniel Slotnik Science has never really played a strong role in convincing
these laws. More so these age boundaries are placed out of political interest. For instance, in
Syria the only reason the legal adult age is set so low is so that children can begin to work at an
earlier point in their lives to become a part of the nations economic system. Furthermore, culture
does play a role for instance in some countries they believe that these borders of adulthood must
be drawn to develop a tradition or checkpoint in a persons life that will mark that passage from
childhood into adulthood. A great example of this would be a bar mitzvah for instance which is a
Jewish tradition in which a boy reaches manhood and he is celebrated for it at the same time he
is responsible for his actions from this following point. The tradition usually occurs around the
age of 13-12 depending on the type of Jewish religion.

Padilla 3
Works Cited
Human Brain Does Not Stop at Adolescence: Research. News Medical. (September2011): Web
Author Slotnik, Daniel When Do You Become an Adult?. The New York Times. (May2012):
Web
Ellis-Christensen, Tricia, and O. Wallace. "At What Age Is Someone Considered an Adult in the World?"
Wise Geek. Conjecture, (October 2015): Web