2. While Colorado initially had rehabilitation for juvenile offenses, in the decade of 1980-1990, the level of juvenile crime rates skyrocketed. These high rates attracted media attention and spotlight, which lead to legislative results. As a method of combating the high crime rates, the General Assembly eliminated the possibility of parole for those who have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Legislation was also passed that granted greater power to district attorneys to move that juveniles be tried as adults.
3. I believe that the circumstances of Jacob Ind’s life should be taken into consideration, but strictly from a psychological and physical sense. Especially today, trained professionals have the ability to test the effect of abuse on a person’s mental and physical state. If Ind was abused like he claimed, then this would be evident on some part of his body. Many scientific studies have proven the devastating effect of emotional and physical abuse on a person’s mind, meaning Ind may not have been in full mental capacity when he committed his crimes. While a bad home life is not an excuse nor mitigates the severity of Ind’s crimes, in the eyes of the law, Ind could have been declared mentally unstable for his actions and could have avoided the life sentence. …show more content…
The Colorado law is not consistent with the International Covenant. By their law, it states that life imprisonment without parole for juveniles is only allowed if the criminal is “the worst of the worst.” While the crimes are severe and the defendants deserve jail time if they are found guilty, their crimes are not the most heinous crimes ever committed by juveniles. Additionally, half of the children in the cases in Colorado were indicted based on testimony from another actor in the crime. It is not absolute whether or not these people were even completely guilty for their crime. Therefore, it should be considered a human rights violation for life sentences without parole to be their
3. I believe that the circumstances of Jacob Ind’s life should be taken into consideration, but strictly from a psychological and physical sense. Especially today, trained professionals have the ability to test the effect of abuse on a person’s mental and physical state. If Ind was abused like he claimed, then this would be evident on some part of his body. Many scientific studies have proven the devastating effect of emotional and physical abuse on a person’s mind, meaning Ind may not have been in full mental capacity when he committed his crimes. While a bad home life is not an excuse nor mitigates the severity of Ind’s crimes, in the eyes of the law, Ind could have been declared mentally unstable for his actions and could have avoided the life sentence. …show more content…
The Colorado law is not consistent with the International Covenant. By their law, it states that life imprisonment without parole for juveniles is only allowed if the criminal is “the worst of the worst.” While the crimes are severe and the defendants deserve jail time if they are found guilty, their crimes are not the most heinous crimes ever committed by juveniles. Additionally, half of the children in the cases in Colorado were indicted based on testimony from another actor in the crime. It is not absolute whether or not these people were even completely guilty for their crime. Therefore, it should be considered a human rights violation for life sentences without parole to be their