The New York Times
February 6, 2008
Author Unknown
The author of this editorial in the New York Times believes that the United States should be considered shameful because of its laws allowing juveniles to be locked up in prison for life without parole. He uses statistics and facts to explain how many people are currently serving life sentences for crimes they have committed in between the ages of 13 and 18. Apparently the rest of the world’s nations oppose sending juveniles to life in prison without parole, which is why the author claims we need to change our laws. He/she explains how early child development affects the brain differently than when one is an adult. The author does not believe that we should go easy on juveniles who commit such offensive crimes, however, one should recognize that we are putting children away without a chance of seeing how their psychology develops; we simply write them off. Also, many people who are serving life without parole sentences are children who were merely accessories or lookouts instead of actually committing the crime. The author propose that there should be a bill that states that inmates who committed crimes as minors would have the right to appear before a parole board after serving 25 years in prison.
I believe that this article was backed up with a lot of facts, and it seems that the author is very confident that behavior resulting in crime can change from when juveniles are young, impressionable, and not knowledgeable about their actions. I believe that it is a good idea for there to be an opportunity to show changes to a parole board after 25 years in prison for a crime committed as a minor. It was interesting to hear all of the facts about just how many minors are serving life sentences without parole. They really don't even have a chance from the get go.
5 comments:
I agree with the author that the brain is still developing when you are a teenager. I have never heard of children being sentenced to life without parol. I would need a lot of facts with sources to believe that this author really knows what hes talking about .
I have never heard of this either. I would not only have to see facts, but facts from credible sources to convince me. I also find it odd that the United States, who has a very advanced child's right system, would be behind the times, so to say, when dealing with this issue. I would love to find out more about this!
This is a very interesting article and could bring up some heavy debates. I would normally say let the punishment fit the crime, but now it got me thinking about the develpoment of that person's brain. I agree that younger people are less rational and more likely to be influenced by their peers and make dumb decisions, but that doesn't mean they can't grow out of that. There should be some way to put the juviniles in jail until a certain time, when they can re-evaluate how much they've learned and whether or not they would continue to be troublesome.
I completely agree with the idea that a child's brain is still developing. However, if we give them so many years in prison will they be able to enter into society again. They would leave society as a teenager, and then reenter as an adult not knowing much about the real world. I think the teenagers should not just be sent away for life, but there should be a department to help these troubled teenagers get on the right path.
It's the same way when an infant does something bad every just says he doesn't know any better. This can be the same for minors. Granted they do know what they are doing, but I don't think they realize the long term effects. At this age everyone is trying to fit in and will do anything that their friends say they should. And these "lookouts" tend to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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