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New York Times editorial on "12 and in Prison"

By Douglas A. Berman

Today's New York Times has this notable editorial about young kids in adult criminal justice systems.  Here are some excerpts: The Supreme Court sent an important message when it ruled in Roper v. Simmons in 2005 that children under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed were not eligible for the death penalty.  Justice Anthony Kennedy drew on compassion, common sense and the science of the youthful brain when he wrote that it was morally wrong to equate the offenses of emotionally undeveloped adolescents with the offenses of fully formed adults. The states have followed this logic in death penalty cases.  But they have continued to mete out barbaric treatment ? including life sentences ? to children whose cases should rightly be handled through the juvenile courts...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on July 28, 2009 (boomark / email).