Juveniles and Life Sentences Do juveniles deserve mandatory life in prison for their crimes or should they have the opportunity to receive a second chance? In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences for any crime are now illegal to give to juveniles meaning that juveniles are no longer allowed to serve mandatory life sentences in prison. This ruling is agreeable because juveniles are not fully developed, and it is unfair for juveniles to serve mandatory life sentences. Juveniles do not deserve life sentences because the teenage brain is not fully developed. Author Paul Thompson of Startling Finds on Teenage Brains makes a statement on the teenage brain. He states, “The biggest surprise in recent teen-brain research is
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The opposition believes that juveniles should be allowed to be sentenced to mandatory life in prison.the opposition claims that recent brain research made on teen brains has nothing to do with teens committing crime. Author of On Punishment and Teen Killers, Jennifer Jenkins claims that, “ Advocates often repeat, but truly misunderstand brain research on this issue. The actual science does not… in any way negate criminal culpability” (Jenkins). The idea behind this statement is that the recent research on teenage brains is invalid for proving a juvenile less innocent. This idea is highly disagreeable because juveniles are nothing like adults especially in decision making. It is claimed by the Supreme Court in Pequenza’s documentary 15 to Life that, “kids are different” (Pequenza). Juveniles are different then adults their brain is not as mature as a adults brain is hence why the opposition's argument/ ideal is disagreeable. Juveniles should receive mandatory life sentences because it is wrong and cruel for someone so young to receive a punishment so drastic. If a juvenile stole from a store for a candy bar because their family had no money for food. Does that child deserve to spend life in prison? No the child does not . Juveniles need to stop being sentenced to life in prison and this can be stopped by making sure judges actually understand the crime committed as well as the circumstances of the
The opposition believes that juveniles should be allowed to be sentenced to mandatory life in prison.the opposition claims that recent brain research made on teen brains has nothing to do with teens committing crime. Author of On Punishment and Teen Killers, Jennifer Jenkins claims that, “ Advocates often repeat, but truly misunderstand brain research on this issue. The actual science does not… in any way negate criminal culpability” (Jenkins). The idea behind this statement is that the recent research on teenage brains is invalid for proving a juvenile less innocent. This idea is highly disagreeable because juveniles are nothing like adults especially in decision making. It is claimed by the Supreme Court in Pequenza’s documentary 15 to Life that, “kids are different” (Pequenza). Juveniles are different then adults their brain is not as mature as a adults brain is hence why the opposition's argument/ ideal is disagreeable. Juveniles should receive mandatory life sentences because it is wrong and cruel for someone so young to receive a punishment so drastic. If a juvenile stole from a store for a candy bar because their family had no money for food. Does that child deserve to spend life in prison? No the child does not . Juveniles need to stop being sentenced to life in prison and this can be stopped by making sure judges actually understand the crime committed as well as the circumstances of the