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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
 Posted - 10/23/2005 : 1:18:16 PM
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Kids shouldn't be locked up forever
Oct 13 2005
The Kalamazoo Gazette
They're too young to vote, too young to drink legally.
But they're not too young to be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Michigan ranks third in the number of state prisoners serving life terms with no chance at parole for crimes they committed as juveniles -- usually murder. Only Pennsylvania and Louisiana have more under lock and key.
During the tough-on-crime 1980s, Legislatures around the nation were cranking out mandatory minimum sentencing, truth in sentencing and three-strikes laws designed to keep more people behind bars longer.
Michigan was no exception, establishing mandatory sentences for certain crimes and giving judges and prosecutors no discretion over them.
Eight states -- Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Mexico, New York and West Virginia -- do not allow juveniles to be sentenced to life without parole.
Only three other nations besides the United States -- South Africa, Tanzania and Israel -- allow the practice.
The encouraging ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in March that banned the execution of juvenile offenders on the grounds that they are ``categorically less culpable'' than adult offenders should be extended to life sentences as well.
We agree with the court that juveniles are categorically less culpable. ...
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