When minors commit violent crimes, should they be treated differently from adults? Yes, says Temple psychologist Laurence Steinberg, in an opinion piece. "Because juveniles are more impetuous than adults, they are inherently less responsible for their acts, and are therefore less deserving of harsh punishment," he wrote. The second reason to sentence juveniles less harshly than adults, says Steinberg, is purely pragmatic. "Most juvenile offending is transitory; only 10 percent of serious juvenile offenders become adult criminals."