Opposing Viewpoints: The caning of Michael Fay

At the age of eighteen years old, the frontal lobe of the brain remains undeveloped and continues to do so until around the age of twenty-five. The immature frontal lobe causes teens to make poor decisions and give in to peer pressure. The prefrontal cortex constitutes a critical part of the brain’s frontal lobe. This cortex controls impulsive behaviors and decisive skills. An eighteen-year-olds prefrontal cortex acquires half the functioning capacity that the prefront...

A car, voting rights, college, cigarettes, lottery tickets and legal ties, all privileges available and obtainable to a person eighteen years of age. At this age, the United States government will charge someone as an adult if they commit a crime. In Michael Fay’s case, after he committed vandalism in the streets of Singapore and as a result, received a sentencing of six canings. Caning includes a n...