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Nov 28, 2009, 2:29am

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Topic: 18 And a Life To Go (Read 45 times)

Belle
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18 And a Life To Go
« Thread Started on Nov 6, 2009, 6:16pm »

The U.S. is the only country that sentences juveniles to life in prison without parole. Will the Supreme Court declare it unconstitutional?

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Iraq doesn't do it. North Korea considers it a cruel form of punishment. But in the United States sentencing a juvenile to life in prison without the possibility of parole is legal.

But on November 9, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up two cases involving juvenile offenders in Florida who claim their life sentences for rape and robbery violate the cruel-and-unusual-punishment clauses of the Constitution.

There are about 2,500 juveniles (ranging in age from 13 to 17) currently sentenced to life in prison in the United States. No other country in the world currently has adolescents serving this sentence, reports the Frank C. Newman International Human Rights Law Clinic.

"We aren't saying that all of these kid offenders should be let out," says Connie de la Vega, Professor of Law at University of San Francisco School of Law. "They should be given a chance to rehabilitate themselves. They should be given the chance to apply for parole, even if it's after 10 or 15 years."

The cases the Supreme Court will hear are Sullivan v. Florida and Graham v. Florida, involving cases of rape and robbery by a then 13-year-old and a 17-year-old, respectively. If the court determines these sentences are unconstitutional, Joe Sullivan, now 33, and Terrance Graham, now 22, currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, could each be granted a new hearing to determine a revised sentence.

If the court finds the sentence unconstitutional, it could give them the right to go before a parole board to determine whether they are fit to assimilate back into society. It's not a get-out-of-jail-free card, human-rights advocates are quick to note. Some juvenile offenders could still be forced to spend life behind bars, while others are set free early. "We don't let them vote or enter into contracts, but we are subjecting kids to sentences that are for a mature adult," says de la Vega. "I think the red flag is, How could we be the only country in the world doing this? Why are we treating our kids so badly?"

But some argue that juveniles should be forced to serve "adult time" when they commit serious crimes. "Most juveniles don't rape, rob, and kill. At some point, it has to be about holding people responsible," says Scott Burns, executive director of National District Attorneys Association, which filed a brief supporting the constitutionality of the sentence.

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honeybee
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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #1 on Nov 6, 2009, 10:49pm »

I think they should for murder. Robbing...no. Raping...I'd like to say yes...but no, they shouldn't get life for that either...but murder...willful murder, yes.

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gypsy
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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #2 on Nov 7, 2009, 6:34pm »

No, if they rape someone they should have their tallywhacker chopped off.

With no anesthesia allowed.

And in front of an audience that includes the victim or victims and their families. #7#

« Last Edit: Nov 7, 2009, 6:35pm by gypsy »

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Belle
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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #3 on Nov 7, 2009, 7:39pm »

I'm torn over this one. :-/

I know some kids are just plain mean,..& would never be anything but killers, getting worse over the years,....but,... how about the ones who are totally different people as they mature? We ALL change, I believe. I know I'm a totally different person than I was in my teens & late twenties.
I just can't feel right about locking ALL of them up for life, IF they are truly rehabilitated. #533dl9#

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springschick
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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #4 on Nov 8, 2009, 9:08am »

While some may be able to be rehabilitated, some are just evil. I read an interesting little book called "Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children " by Jonathan Kellerman. Kellerman is a clinical child psychologist. His advice for the psychopathic child? Lock them up until they die. A quick little read, but very interesting. Should be in your local library if you are interested.

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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #5 on Nov 8, 2009, 1:27pm »

In Iran they hang teenage girls for violations of the religious laws.

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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #6 on Nov 8, 2009, 1:35pm »

Nov 8, 2009, 9:08am, springschick wrote:

I read that too! And I just finished one about the 12 year old girl from Canada that had her 23-year old boyfriend kill her parents and 8 year old brother because her parents wouldn't let her see the guy. She gets out of prison in 2012, and at her last psychiatric examination in 2008 before the book was written, they said she still showed no remorse about the crime.

My personal feeling is that if a juvenile commits an adult crime they should do adult time, whether that means life or the chair or whatever. I have no pity for criminals regardless of age.

And I'm saying this as my brother's 15 year old son is facing a minimum of an 18 month jail sentence for various crimes committed in the past 4 months, including damaging public property, breaking probation, and having pot with intent to sell. My attitude is that my stupid nephew brought 99% of this on himself - he was given several chances by the judge to change his behavior, but he basically just thumbed his nose at the court and did what he wanted to do. Now he has to pay for his actions. I feel sorry for him - I'm scared that he might be raped (or worse) in jail - but he did it to himself. I can't concern myself beyond that.

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Belle
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Re: 18 And a Life To Go
« Reply #7 on Nov 8, 2009, 2:25pm »

Nov 8, 2009, 9:08am, springschick wrote:

His advice for the psychopathic child? Lock them up until they die.

I absolutely agree! Sociopaths & Psychopaths are the ones I was referring to getting worse as they get older.They're wired completely different than normal people, having absolutely no conscience, no guilt for anything they do.

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