Sentencing some juvenile criminals to life in prison without parole is "cruel and unusual" punishment, especially when their crime is not murder, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.
The justices by a 6-3 vote found such a sentence for a 16-year-old armed robber from Florida was unconstitutional. The court concluded life without parole is not justified for those offenders who may lack full "culpability" for their actions, because of their ages.
Monday's other Supreme Court rulings:
Supreme Court: Sex offenders can be held indefinitely
High court rules for father in international child custody case
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So a 16 year-old doesn't know the difference between wrong and right? Robbing a bank = getting your baby sister a drink from the fridge? Give me a break. Also, I don't know anything about this particular case, but I'm going to guess that there's a lot more to this story than just robbing a bank if he's getting a life sentence.
If you dont know anything about the case then why are you opining?
Why am I opining? Why not? The court ruling isn't about a specific case is it? They mention an example, and I make an assumption about it. I'm not presenting my knowledge or lack thereof as fact. What's the problem?
I'm guessing what was "more to the story" was that he was black. Also if you think a life sentence is justified for armed robbery then lol you are a terrible person.
Life without parole? In any defendant was convicted by a jury of their peers to 'Life without Parole" is a sentence to the taxpayer to provide housing, food, medical care, and a "stable" future that the victums of their crimes were never afforded.
As a tax payer, a non felon, I resent "Life without Parole" on the taxpayer dime. I feel that if there is not some way, through strictly enforced public service, -(yes, -chain gangs, these dregs on society should be taken out back of the prison and shot for their crimes, and not pose a burden on the very society, the taxpayers, that they have rejected, and committed the crimes against. What seems to be the case, most of these offenders have never paid a dime in tax in their lives, and have existed on the public dollar from jump.
Life without parole should be commuted to death as soon as possible. The victims and the families of these thugs were not given the same court appointed opportunities. In Philadelphia, we had a hung jury on an admitted Cop Killer, and he was blessed with life without parole. His proud mother will be able to visit him, while the wife and children of the cop he killed have a cold grave to visit to remember their husband and father.
Life without parole is a joke, as is the death sentence, since death row can linger for decades. It is time, as a nation we come to grips with the fact that there are those we cannot rehabilitate, those that are a menace to society. Those that have never contributed anything to the public good, those that will not change, and those-after convicted continue their life of crime behind prison walls, we need to purge from our society.
The answer is simple. If you are incarcerated, and you commit crime while in prison, which is why you are there in the first place, you should be shot and killed. Perhaps this would set an example for the next "gangster." If, while in prison, you assault prison staff, you should be shot and killed. Perhaps this would set an example for the next "gangster."
It is beyond time we, as a nation, stop coddling this "Threat to National Security" from a minority of the population, and address it with the lethal force we would a foreign invader, since for a huge part, that is what it is. And for our domestic terrorists, IE the Gang Members, Motorcycle Gangs, Bloods, Crypts, Hell's Angels, WHATEVER-Who gives a crap, – if you want to be a "Gangster, -Criminal, -Thug, Threat to Society, -Drug Dealer, or petty ante POS, then it is about time the decent people of the United States shows you exactly what we can do. I am sure you would love to meet up with a Seal Team.
We need to rid ourselves of these burdens on society, and put an end to these criminal gangs, thugs, murderers, civil wastes, and the dung of American Society.
After a long winded response, Life without Parole should equate to an instant death sentence, since why as a tax payer should I be burdened with this creeps well being for the rest of his natural life, after what he has done to warrant such a sentence? What possible contribution can this puke have to the very society that he rejected, but is now tasked with his room and board, as well as medical care, for the rest of his natural life.
What will it take until someone wakes up and purges the American Taxpayer of these burdens on society???
"Hey, hey, don't pay no mind; you're under 18 you won't be doing any time"
That's a really ignorant response. This ruling doesn't have anything to do with the punishment juveniles receive, other than to say that "life without parole" is cruel and unusual.
These are lyrics to an Offspring song, lighten up Frances...
yikes
if anyone touches my stuff, ill kill ya!
I feel that a 16 year old knows the difference between right and wrong. Well I know that they know the difference. I just hate when a kid gets into trouble they want to play the race card and call on the courts to help get them out when they do something wrong. By the way yes, I'm African American.
Have you ever even been to Africa? No? Then you're just an American...which is a great thing and comes with lots of responsibility. Including educating yourself.
If there was no physical assault, then I do agree with the court. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about this case.
Please quote me the government official who said the 16-year old armed robber shouldn't do ANY time and should be let free immediately. Find me that quote. Please, I'm looking forward to it.
OK, you can't. Because you're an idiot. So what if the kid served 10 years instead? Or 20? Or 30? Those are not life terms, yet they're still a huge amount of time. Or do we have to lock up a kid who committed a non-capital crime life in prison.
No where does it say that the 16 year old is not punished, they just say that life without parole seems a little extreme! Working with kids that are in juvenile detention I totally support the supreme court here. I would contrast his sentence to one where an adult convicted of child abouse in NYC some years back which resulted in the death of his daugher and he only got 7 years.
Yes a 16yr old is a kid. Let's not be fooled by the look or the capabilities of modern day teens. Mental maturity takes a while. They should have a second chance after a reasonable time of punishment for non murder crimes.
To me the justices are right.
Of course a 16 y.o. knows right from wrong. It is a given that juveniles weigh their crime/punishment options when committing a crime, and if the death penatly and life w/o parole are off the table, it makes it that much easier to commit to committing a crime. Also, I hate when the term "race card" is used, especially in a conversation that has nothing to do with race. This is about being responsible for your actions at any age, not using race to get out of trouble. BTW, I am African American as well.
Oh wow, they just made everyone under the age of 16 think they can get away with whatever they want.... Great our jobs as parents just got even harder than before this ruling and believe me they took away every means of dicsipline and now this... what is our country coming to?
You must be making this up... as until recently Juveniles could not be sentenced to Life without parole, so no, America is not oging down a dangerous path here. It just pulls the over reaction of sentencing. Putting a 16 year old away for life, with no hope of parole is misguided, and per the court, cruel and unusual. It doesn't mean the kid may not serve 20 or 30 years, just that his age is taken into account in FUTURE parole hearings. Stop over reacting.
Did you no even read the article? They are commenting on life in jail without the option of parole not letting these people go free with no diciplinary actions. Of course they would still be punished. As a parent if your son or daughter commited a crime such as robbery at 16 and they were given a life sentence I'm sure your opinion would change on the subject. Something that seemed lke a good idea at 16 most likely seems irrelevant 10 years later. Your comment was the most ridiculous comment on this board.
I don't understand what's the miscommunication some of you seem to be having, no where does it say that you will not get punished if you commit a crime as a minor. It is saying to receive a sentencing of life without parole as a minor is extreme.
Prison should be about rehabilitation and paying your debt to society. Aside from the fact that a young person should be given a chance to come back into society when they've served their sentence I do not see how hundreds of thousands of my tax dollars to keep them in prison for 60+ years or however long they live is even logical from a financial stance.
Thank you. I agree that this is not about knowing right from wrong but is about being able to learn from your actions and their consequences. That is the hurdle of youth.
You don't understand what the miscommunication some of them seem to be having is? It's the fact that ignorance itself is not usually against the law, especially when people go off on wild tangents in their minds and then post them in the comments section. I think if a website posted our addresses and names of our relatives involuntarily with our comments we'd see a lot less ignorance and a lot more meaningful discussion.
what a victory today for that poor child in florida! now he gets a second chance to maybe kill someone!
I agree with the court that life w/o parole in non-murder crimes is kind of extreme, and that if someone who is a juvenile has served their time may be able to reenter society. On the other hand, prison isn't exactly a conducive environment for rehabilitation. It depends on the individual come parole whether they're released or not, if this person got their h.s. diploma, took anger management classes or something significant to their crime they should get a chance. Most people released from prison often return, and if said individual knows his/her next mess up will more than likely get him/her life, they have nothing to lose, and are likely to not consider innocent bystanders trying to get away. Some people deserve a second chance, and would do well given one, and others not so much. Deciding who should or shouldn't is the real problem I suppose.
Actually, the 16 year old in question is a white female who is now in her early 30s. Her boyfriend stabbed his relative in order to steal from her and she was present. Locking her up for life is draconian. She was young and stupid, but was not the one who committed murder nor did she plan it. Yes, she deserved to serve some time, but I do not want my tax dollars needlessly incarcerating people who are not a threat to society.
Next: let's stop incarcerating petty drug offenders.
The vote was 6-3, with Roberts agreeing with the result but not in the opinion. See http://www.scotusblog.com
Washingtonpost says the vote was 5 to 4, with Roberts agreeing with some of the majority reasons but voting no. Who is correct, CNN or Washington Post?
The court is not saying that a stiff sentence for a crime should not be given...They're saying if not murder then an opportunity for parole should be available....Parole is given because of good behavior along with other criteria....With that being said....Remove those Weight Rooms that provide NOTHING for the Grey Matter AND provide Reading Rooms/Libraries/Track fields, etc 2 prepare minds for entering into society
He probably was a minority. To Matt King, it is possible; just like the case in the 1940s when the courts gave a black man life in prison for stealing a TV. Too harsh for such a crime. @ Chairmancjs & Alexander the Great: the justice sentence has always been about race no matter how much we try to overlook it. Research the hundreds of cases where a black man like yourself was harshly sentenced for a comparable crime that a caucasian received a slap on the wrist for. It is not about playing the race card, it is about the truth. Facts are subject to change but the truth can never be changed. Pray that you are never in a situation.
My apologies...I meant the justice system not sentence...lol