The New Hampshire Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Miller v. Alabama must be applied retroactively. This ruling means that people who were sentenced to mandatory life without parole for crimes committed as children are eligible for relief and resentencing, including those who were sentenced before the U.S. Supreme […]
The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled in Iowa v. Lyle that mandatory sentences for children are unconstitutional under the Iowa Constitution. The Court relied on the reasoning in Miller v. Alabama and Graham v. Florida to hold that a child facing a prison term is entitled to an individualized sentencing hearing during which the factors […]
The National Association of Counties, the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States, has taken an official position against sentencing children to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The organization approved a resolution against the practice during its annual conference last week in New Orleans. NACo joins a growing, […]
My brother was given a sentence of life without parole for a crime he was convicted of participating in on his 16th birthday. That was more than 24 years ago, and since that time we have been fighting against this inhumane sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v. Alabama should have brought a chance […]
Dear friends, This week marks two years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama that it is unconstitutional to impose mandatory life-without-parole sentences upon children. The landmark ruling followed a series of recent decisions from the Court declaring children “constitutionally different” from adults and requiring our justice policies to account for these […]
Both momentum and challenges are evident at the second anniversary of the Miller v. Alabama decision. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 25, 2012 that mandatory sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole are unconstitutional when imposed upon children. This interactive map shows how states have responded to eliminate or limit […]
Pope Francis calls for “mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation” in a response to hundreds of letters sent to him from people serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for crimes committed as children. His letter amplifies the leadership and deepening support from diverse partners in the faith community for age-appropriate alternatives to life in […]
The Florida Legislature has passed a bill that is expected to significantly limit the state’s practice of sentencing children to die in prison. Under HB 7035, almost every child who could have previously been sentenced to life without parole will be given the opportunity to go back before a judge to have his or her […]
Hawaii has abolished the practice of sentencing children to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The legislature has approved HB 2116 CD1 and sent it to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature. Gov. Abercrombie signed the measure into law on July 2. “In Hawaii, family is the most important part of life,” said […]
The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is celebrating five years of progress in the effort to implement age-appropriate accountability measures in place of life without parole and other extreme sentences for children. This week, we are featuring five stories about people whose lives have been changed by life without parole for children. Cindy […]
