[Human rights advocates say that the use of juvenile life without parole, or LWOP, is by one measure rising.] Even with murder rates going down, ... the proportion of juvenile murder offenders entering prison with LWOP sentences is going up. |
For example, Georgia rarely sentences children to life without parole, but it has youth crimes rates lower than Missouri, which imposes the sentence on child offenders far more frequently, ... the harshest prison sentence possible. |
Frankly, from a human rights perspective, that raises concerns, |
Kids who commit serious crimes shouldn't go scot-free. But if they are too young to vote or buy cigarettes, they are too young to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. |
This would bring us in line with the rest of the world and make the US act in accordance with human-rights laws. |
We're asking for a recognition that these are child offenders and they should have access to parole hearings. |