Can someone please explain to me the difference between a 17 year old and 18 year old?

mark j

The only difference is one is allowed to buy tobacco products, vote, and buy lottery tickets. That's it. Mentally, they are about the same. Even though 18 year olds are of legal age doesn't make them mature adults. All 18 year olds are either seniors in high school or have just stepped into the world of working full time, college, and paying bills. With age comes wisdom, which ultimately resorts to maturity.

rabbi0230

365 days around a giant ball of gas...

chris n

jail

Texan

1 year............

PoliticallyIncorrect

a 17 yo would ask this....an 18 yo knows the answer

krimla2000

About 10 years and a tossed salad.

Ripper G

1 year.

Kenneth C

The 18 year old can vote.

Reported for insulting my belief

Nothing at all. You are just able to smoke legally. Well not for long.

poopfairy

At 18, the law says you are an adult. At 17, the law says you are a minor.
But the only real difference is 1 year.
It's a legal matter.

Suzy

12 months?

A year.
Supposedly the 18 year is an adult.

PointHo

Statutory rape vs. freedom.

Proud to be an AMERICAN

It's a bright line test which is generally thought to be a good standard and easy to apply - just check the birthdate!

But it may be arbitrary in practice.

I've known some 22 year olds who were not as mature emotionally and mentally as some 16 year olds.

But society has decided in general that once you're 18 you are mature enough to sign contracts, etc.

Nothing magical happens on your 18th birthday. But neither does anything special happen at midnight on New Year's Eve! They are both purely "legal" events, but with far-reaching consequences.

Again, the line has to be drawn somewhere.

Emancipation procedures are available for special cases.

Ronin

1 revolution around the sun.

What I think you are getting at is, do you really want judges to try to understand each and every one of the millions of 17 and 18 year olds in the country to determine if they are mature enough to be adults? Or is it a lot quicker and cheaper to assign a number as a cut-off?

lovingclementine

being tried as a minor or an adult.

Beautiful_nightmare

An 18 year old is a 17 year old with one year experience.

lynsey

an 18 year old will go to grown up jail. so will a 17 year old if tried as an adult. you are responsible for your actions and if you get in trouble with the law, they wont call your parents.

Someone

you know, you magically get responsible and mature when you turn 18, duh!