After The SCOTUS Rulings - Are Colorado Juvenile's Sentenced As Adults to Adult Prisons Serving Illegal Sentences?
After the landmark decisions in Sullivan/Graham, reached by the Supreme Court in May of 2010, concerning Life Without Parole Sentences for Juveniles who DID NOT commit murder and the decision of Miller/Jackson, reached by the Supreme Court in June of 2012, the question must be asked.....Since our states have not come into compliance with these rulings......are these persons serving illegal sentences?
Yes the question goes beyond the Supreme Court rulings. What sentence is legal? What sentence is just? How do we reform these laws to give the juveniles who are already serving these sentences justice and how do we reform the juvenile justice system for the future?
These are questions that states are grappling with right now. Meanwhile....the clock ticks, the calendar changes and they are still in prison. While there are concerns to be addressed, most of the work has been done. We have years of research that supports the redemptive qualities of juveniles...even the ones who have committed murder. We have years of research on brain development, culpability, reasoning, decision making and our own understanding of kids. It is time for states to move juvenile justice back to juvenile courts where those cases belong. It is time to reduce the sentences of those already serving aggravated adult sentence in adult prisons. Need information on this issue? Supporting documents are on this web sit as well as links to other sites. It is time to give meaningful reconsideration to juvenile sentences and give them a second chance to contribute to society instead of costing society.
Yes the question goes beyond the Supreme Court rulings. What sentence is legal? What sentence is just? How do we reform these laws to give the juveniles who are already serving these sentences justice and how do we reform the juvenile justice system for the future?
These are questions that states are grappling with right now. Meanwhile....the clock ticks, the calendar changes and they are still in prison. While there are concerns to be addressed, most of the work has been done. We have years of research that supports the redemptive qualities of juveniles...even the ones who have committed murder. We have years of research on brain development, culpability, reasoning, decision making and our own understanding of kids. It is time for states to move juvenile justice back to juvenile courts where those cases belong. It is time to reduce the sentences of those already serving aggravated adult sentence in adult prisons. Need information on this issue? Supporting documents are on this web sit as well as links to other sites. It is time to give meaningful reconsideration to juvenile sentences and give them a second chance to contribute to society instead of costing society.