The PHL juvenile justice system must emulate this pro-youth legal doctrine.
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USA Supreme Court Bans Life Without Parole for Juveniles Convicted of Murder
On Monday, June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that state laws that mandatorily sentence juveniles convicted of murder to life in prison without parole are unconstitutional. Life without parole for juveniles violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, the high court ruled in a 5-4 decision. The ruling could affect nearly 2,500 juvenile prisoners.
This decision reflects recent Supreme Court rulings on juvenile sentencing. The high court in 2010 declared juveniles found guilty of non-homicides could not receive life without parole, and in 2005 the court banned the death penalty for juveniles.
Resources:
To view the decision, go to www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/10-9646g2i8.pdf.
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