Question.1990 - As you have already read,the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty forjuveniles was cruel and unsual. Serious youth offenders, however,can be sentenced to lfe. What are your thoughts surroundinglife sentences for juveniles? Is this just or crueland unusual? Why or why not?
Answer Below:
Thoughts surrounding life sentences for youths Life sentence for juveniles is cruel and unusual because of various reasons. One of the reasons is the lack of maturity among juveniles. The brains of adolescents are not wholly developed and they might not fully comprehend the outcomes of their activities or have the same impulse control as adults. It means juveniles must not be held to life imprisonment. Another reason is that the main goal of developing the juvenile justice system is rehabilitation. Life sentences could be viewed as declining the potential for reintegration into society and rehabilitation. It can also be claimed that life sentences for adolescents are out of step with global human rights standards and emerging legal as well as societal norms in numerous nations. This step favors more merciful sentences for young criminals. In the United States, the Supreme Court's 2005 decision in the Roper v. Simmons case acknowledged that the death penalty for juveniles was an unusual and cruel punishment. The Supreme Court decision in the case of Graham v. Florida (2010) put restrictions on the usage of life sentences without the probability of bail for youths imprisoned for non-homicide crimes (Apter, 2023). Moreover, juveniles must be given an opportunity for rehabilitation and reform instead of being sentenced to life custody. It is believed that being sentenced to life seems a disproportionate punishment for crimes committed by young offenders. The criminal justice system developed for youths must focus on rehabilitation and provide them a chance to turn their lives around (Stevenson, 2008). In addition, life sentences for youths remove any optimism of improvement and restoration into society, which can be damaging to their personal development and transformation. It denies adolescents the opportunity to make changes in their actions and become productive citizens. Sentenced to life is also appears to be a violation of the principles of proportionality where the punishment does not fit the age and level of guilt of a criminal. References Apter, R. W. (2023, February 27). It’s cruel and unusual punishment to sentence a teenager to die in prison: ACLU. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/news/juvenile-justice/its-cruel-and-unusual-punishment-sentence-teenager-die Stevenson, B. A. (2008). Cruel and Unusual: Sentencing 13-and 14-Year-Old Children to Die in Prison. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 20(1), 135-140. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10345329.2008.12056193More Articles From LAW
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