Thread: Mandatory Life Terms for Teens - Cruel & Unusual Punishment?

do you have the right thread?

<<< I don't believe in the case of the 13 year of who got life without parole and was tried as an adult that is is equitable to sentence him to life when nationwide other ADULTS only get (on average) 10 years for rape. >>> Especially when his older accomplices who were the main perpetrators of this rape were given light sentences

No one is comparing dumb pranks at 15 to serious felonies. I am saying and scientific evidence supports this - children's brains are not fully formed and they do not understand consequences of their actions, the part of the brain that is responsible for this is not the same as in adult brains. I do, however, believe children can and should be tried as adults when the crime is horific. I don't believe in the case of the 13 year of...

I think some of you are trying very hard to equate pulling dumb pranks at 15 with murder, rape, setting people on fire..... . Obviously, TPing a house won't land you in jail for 30 years, but murdering an old lady for her purse damn sure should!

all of you obviously lived a clean and pure teenage life

Do I still think minors should have the possibility of parole? Yes.

I have the right thread. Was topping this thread given the information coming out of Seattle and the thread started today blasting Huckabee. Just wondering of people will be situationally outraged about Huckabee's commutation or whether they'll be consistent with the views expressed on this thread.

Religion should not matter for the law. I don't care if you're christian, muslim or other, it doesn't matter when you're talking about law. If the question is should people be subject to life without a chance of parole, if they are *charged* as an adult while they are still a minor, then my answer is yes. If they are charged as a minor, then no. To me, how they are charged is the absolute difference. If they are charged as...

wellididntknowthat, I was just stating what catholics believe. I don't agree with my own religion on the death penalty, but it is what catholics believe in general and last I checked that is a christian religion.

degas et al are missing the point. [in your case degas, presumably deliberately, as you are brighter than some of your contributions would suggest]. the question is not whether these youngsters should get parole, but whether they can be CONSIDERED for it. the example given by Pal of the 13 year old accomplice to rape who got a more severe sentence than the actual perpetrators is a case in point. How can a 13 year old understand all the...