Juvenile Sentencing Case Study

In July 2014, the United States Supreme Court issued that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for minors (seventeen and younger) convicted of homicide is unconstitutional in a five to four vote (2). The Court struck down statutes in twenty-nine states that provide a mandatory life-without-parole sentences for children (2). The lower courts are now instructed to conduct new sentence hearings where judges will have to take into account the individual characters, circumstances, age, and the events surrounding the crime (2). The court did not ban juvenile life without parole in all circumstances

Each year in the United States, children as young as 13 years old are sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison without any chance of getting released. There has been a worldwide agreement declaring that children cannot be held to the same standards of responsibility as adults and it is recognized that children are entitled to special protection and treatment. There are three types of juvenile waivers that have been allowing juveniles to be treated as adults in adult court. The Miller v. Alabama case is a step toward more just treatment of juvenile offenders following several decades’ worth of harsh treatment of youthful offenders. For over a century, states have believed that the juvenile justice system was the main way to protect

Judges often have the responsibility of sentencing an offender once guilt is determined. While judges have flexibility in deciding a sentence, their powers are limited to prevent egregious sentences. Multiple factors impact judge’s decisions on sentencing, several are the Eighth Amendment, statutory provisions, philosophical rationales, organizational considerations, presentence investigation reports, and the judge’s personal characteristics (Bohm & Haley, 2011). First, through the Bill of Rights, the Eighth Amendment protects individuals from cruel and unusual punishments (Bohm & Haley, 2011). Punishments must proportionately fit the crime or justice has failed and not fairly been served.

Imagine a child of six years committing a heinous crime, and the child is sentenced to life in prison without the slightest possibility of parole. Countless people will argue that the child should not be sentenced to life because his/her mind is not entirely developed, and the juvenile has the ability to be transformed into a preferred (productive?) individual of society. This is a greater preference because children are the next generation and should be salvaged rather than become a “lost cause”. However, numerous people will argue otherwise if a teenager committed the same heinous crime as the child.

I do not think it’s a good idea to incarcerate juveniles because there is a large amount of evidence that shows the negative effects this has on the juvenile. This incarceration can stunt their growth not only physically but also mentally. There is also evidence that shows that incarcerating juveniles can cause them to become more criminal. However I also believe that it is important to create a safe community for everyone.

Arrest, or referral, and intake are the first steps in the juvenile court process. A juvenile’s first interaction is usually a result of contact with a police officer. This occurs when a juvenile commits a serious crime and the police make an arrest. When the police make contact with a juvenile they have options as to how to proceed. Option one is to issue a warning.

Probation is known as a front-door program that helps participants avoid going to jail or prison; it also serves as a second chance for offenders to get their lives back together. I was wondering, though—does probation really work for youth? Do those who undergo probation receive rehabilitation so they won’t commit future crimes? Also, what is it like to have someone who is a youth in the criminal justice system? What services do they receive?

Steven, Your comment on the maximum sentence a juvenile homicide offender can receive is incarceration until he/ she is 21 years of age has kept me studying. I continue to wonder why to release someone after say a few years for such violent acts; concerning, to say the least. I have also been researching the “juvenile life” sentence trying to get a better understanding of how these two issues are handled.

Juvenile court was developed largely because of the Illinois Supreme Court ruling in People v. Turner. This Court ruling required “due process protection prior to youth’s placement” and also addressed the fear of criminal courts not wanting to sentence youth (Elrod & Ryder, 2014, p. 116). As a result of this case, the first juvenile court was formed in Cook County, Illinois in 1899. Due to the influx of immigration into America during the countries Progressive Era, one of the downfalls to so many ethnic groups now living in American cities was the increase of children. As a result of this, it left a lot of children to roam the streets and engage in delinquency.

Crimes are happening around us whether we pay attention to them or not. Those crimes as dangerous as murder are committed by all ages but should younger criminal in their juvenile age received the same punishment as older criminals. On June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles committed murder could not be sentenced to life in prison because it violates the Eighth Amendment.(On-Demand Writing Assignment Juvenile Justice) Advocates on the concurring side believes that mandatory life in prison is wrong and should be abolish. However, the dissenting side believe that keeping the there should be a life in prison punishment for juvenile who commit heinous crime regardless of their age.

Juveniles can be charged as an adult as young as fourteen. Adolescent is the process of growing up, from a child to an adult. Fourteen year old Riley Simmons, is being charged for the murder of twenty four year old Billy Jackson. He will be tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Absolutely, I would agree with the supreme court if 13 - 24 year olds had a chance to get a life sentence with a chance of parole. Then equity would be fair because in scientific facts your brain frontal lobes are not developed till the age of 25 so any decision you make or choice it is kind of not your fault because your brain not developed. If a new law was made which increase giving juvenile increment up to 22 years of age, I would agree juveniles should have a chance to have a life sentence with a chance of parole. In the passage “Juveniles Don’t Deserve Life Sentences” By Gail Garinger In the 5th paragraph the second and third sentences she states “Young people are biologically different from adults”.

Never hold a juvenile at an adult facility. Juveniles subject to the original jurisdiction of the juvenile courts because of their age and offense cannot be held in jails and law enforcement lockups in which adults also may be detained or confined. 2.   In what year and location was the first juvenile court established?

Kids who are stuck in adult prisons are losing their lives before they can reform them. A quote from Huma Khan says, “Some 3000 children nationwide have been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Children as young as thirteen have been tried as adults and sentenced to die in prison, typically without any consideration of their age or circumstances of the offense.” (Huma Khan) This explains how kids used to be able to be kept in prison until they died.

For the past years there has been a debate on whether juveniles should be tried as life without parole or life with parole. In my opinion juveniles who commit first or second degree murder should not receive a mandatory sentence to life without parole. Although the juveniles are underage they are well informed of what’s right and what’s wrong, but some of them have difficulty understanding of what they are doing at the moment of the crime because they are angry and act before thinking clearly. I agree with the majority of supreme court justices who believe that mandatory life sentences are unconstitutional, unfair and inhumane because juveniles are immature, their brain is not completely developed, and they are unaware of long term impact