qwerty
11-20-2005, 02:39 PM
Don't Discard Youthful Offenders
By David Berger
Sunday, November 20, 2005; Page B07
Children can and sometimes do commit terrible crimes, and when they do they should be held accountable. But life in prison without any possibility or even consideration of parole does not hold children accountable, it holds them disposable.
... Sentencing a child offender to life without the possibility of parole sends a message to that child -- who is more likely than not low-income, African American or Hispanic -- that his life is less valuable, his potential contributions are less significant and he is not worth the minimal time or effort it would take to revisit his case and evaluate his state of redemption later in life.
Read the full article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111802398.html
By David Berger
Sunday, November 20, 2005; Page B07
Children can and sometimes do commit terrible crimes, and when they do they should be held accountable. But life in prison without any possibility or even consideration of parole does not hold children accountable, it holds them disposable.
... Sentencing a child offender to life without the possibility of parole sends a message to that child -- who is more likely than not low-income, African American or Hispanic -- that his life is less valuable, his potential contributions are less significant and he is not worth the minimal time or effort it would take to revisit his case and evaluate his state of redemption later in life.
Read the full article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111802398.html