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June 26, 2012

Mandatory Life Sentences for Juveniles Ruled Unconstitutional 
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In a separate ruling on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states
may not impose mandatory life sentences without parole on children, even
if they have been convicted of taking part in a murder. In a 5-to-4
decision, the justices ruled that such harsh sentencing for children
violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
The ruling does not mean the 2,500 juvenile offenders currently serving
such sentences must be released, only that they now get the chance. The
two cases at issue involved 14-year-old boys who had taken part in
murders in Arkansas and Alabama.

 

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