\He was in his cell, waiting to be executed, and he asked as a last…See more

These factors do not erase harm. But they complicate it.

Advocates point to developmental science showing that children’s brains — especially areas governing impulse control, risk assessment, and long-term judgment — are still forming. Youth, by its nature, carries immaturity. The legal question becomes whether permanent punishment should be imposed on a person whose capacity for change was not yet fully developed.

The Supreme Court’s Intervention
Over the past decade, the Supreme Court of the United States has addressed this issue directly. In 2012, the Court ruled that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. In 2016, it determined that this ruling must apply retroactively, opening the door for sentence reviews across the country.

These decisions did not eliminate life sentences for juveniles altogether. Instead, they required individualized consideration. Judges must examine the circumstances, the age of the offender, and the possibility of rehabilitation before imposing the harshest penalties.