Sentencing Minors

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are not fully developed physically, mentally, and cognitively. And because of this lack of development, they are not always aware of the consequences or the gravity of their crime.

History and Scope of Issue

The history of sentencing minors to life in prison began in the last thirty years, though the harsh punishment of children began a long time ago, and still appears to have lingering residual effects on American policies and the sentencing of children today. In 1646, the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony passed the Stubborn Child Law, allowing teenage boys who disobeyed their parents to be put to death (Feld, B., 2008). While today’s punishment of juveniles is not as harsh, they are still subject to being sentenced to life without parole, which is considered to be the harshest of punishments besides the death penalty (Liptak, A., 2007).
The concept of a “childhood” in the United States profoundly changed in the late 1800’s as children were no longer ...

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punishment and the adoption of life without parole sentences for children (Feld. B., 2008)

Perspectives & Analysis of Policy

The perspective on life without the possibility of parole for juveniles has obviously shifted over the years. Hundreds of years ago there was distinct corporal and harsh punishment that could be as severe as death, and that was widely accepted. But with the beginning of juvenile courts in Chicago in 1899 (Agyepong, A., (2010), society wanted to attempt to rehabilitate young offenders and update the older laws to more humane ways of punishing juveniles. This perspective seemed to have remained intact for the most part until the 1970’s and 80’s, when we waged ...

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