A step forward in juvenile justice (but another step needed)

On May 17, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that juveniles convicted of non-homicide crimes may not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The majority decided that a life sentence without parole for these juvenile offenders would violate the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

I couldn't agree more.

Everyone does stupid things when they are young. Most of us don't commit serious crimes as juveniles, but we do crazy things that we would not do as adults, because we are immature and still have a lot to learn about right and wrong, actions and consequences, and self control.

Our growing years are for learning these things, before we become hardened adults and more set in our ways.

The Justice Policy Institute (JPI) agrees. JPI's executive director, Tracy Velazquez, issued the following statement in response to the ruling:

"We are pleased that the Court ruled in favor of fairer treatment of youth and realized the proven potential that young people have for rehabilitation as they mature into adulthood.

"The research on adolescent brain development clearly shows that youth are different from adults and should be treated differently under the law. Sentencing youth to life without parole is truly 'cruel and unusual punishment,' and is far outside the norms in almost every state as well as internationally.

"The Supreme Court was right to recognize that refusing to consider parole for a person locked up since they were a teenager benefits no one."

While this is a positive step forward in the juvenile justice system, I wish it went a bit farther and also banned life sentences without parole in murder cases. Again, young people can be truly rehabilitated. It is wrong to label them as entirely hopeless.

By the way, Justices Thomas, Scalia, and Alito disagreed with the majority's decision. Justice Roberts "endorsed only a case-by-case approach," reported the New York Times.