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Mandatory Life Sentences for Juveniles Ruled Unconstitutional

HeadlineJun 26, 2012

In a separate ruling on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states may not impose mandatory life sentences without parole on children, even if they have been convicted of taking part in a murder. In a five-to-four decision, the justices ruled that such harsh sentencing for children violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling does not mean the 2,500 juvenile offenders currently serving such sentences must be released, only that they now get the chance. The two cases at issue involved 14-year-old boys who had taken part in murders in Arkansas and Alabama.

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