Today, the Supreme Court is considering whether it is unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment to send a juvenile away to prison for life, without the possibility of parole for a crime that does not involve a death. Here’s my answer: YES. I don’t even need to consider what the crimes of these juveniles were, but let’s see what the cases the court is considering are anyway.
The first is that of Joe Sullivan, who at the age of 13 was convicted of raping a 72-year-old woman. Despite this being his first felony, the judge declared him as being “beyond help” and sentenced him to life in prison without parole. The second case is that of Terrance Graham, who at 16-years-old pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of a restaurant in which one of his accomplices hit the restaurant manager over the head with a steel pipe. After serving a year, he was released on probation, only to be arrested six months later for fleeing the scene of an armed home invasion robbery. The judge rejected the four-year prison sentence recommended by the Department of Corrections and instead sentenced 17-year-old Graham to life in prison with out parole. “If I can’t do anything to help you,” said the judge, “then I have to … protect the community from your actions.”
These judges are some real winners, I must say. How is sentencing someone to jail without any rehabilitative programs doing everything to help? Is this all our system has to offer, punishment as help? But more outrageous is the notion that a 13-year-old (or a 17-year-old) is beyond help. These are kids considered to immature to vote, drive, get tattoos. Hell, they even haven’t graduated 8th grade, and we’re telling them they’re beyond help?!? Is this how inadequate we’ve become as a country? Or do these kids just not count because hey, we can always have more kids? And honestly, when was the last time an adult received life in prison without the possibility of parole for one rape conviction? Or armed robbery?
In 2005, the Supreme Court struck down the death penalty for juveniles, convinced that the death penalty was different from other punishments (because it is permanent) and that children are different. Guess what? A life without the possibility of parole is also FOREVER. And it is being used to lock up our nation’s youth, giving up on them before even offering them a chance at education, at rehabilitation, or any real opportunity whatsoever. If we honestly believe children are different, shouldn’t our criminal justice system start treating them as such?
Sara Kruzan is another example of how the justice system fails kids. She was 16 years ols when she killed her pimp and was sentenced to life without parole.
Sara Kruzan is another example of a child being sentenced to life without parole. She was 16 years old when she killed her pimp.
I believe if these judges even thought about putting their own children in the places there putting these kids in for life, they would have a total different outlook on the whole situation or maybe even themselves to see that prison really doesn’t change a person it may even help a person to learn even more criminal activities. It’s just sad for a grown person, a judge to really look at a child and send them somewhere they couldnt even imagine living for the rest of their lives. It just ridiculous!