Our Justice for Juveniles Campaign is working to end long-term confinement through legislation reform and direct support for people sentence to life without parole as children.
Justice for Juveniles
The United States remains the only nation to sentence people to life without parole for crimes committed as children. However, twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have banned life sentences without the possibility of parole for people under 18.
The Supreme Court of the United States established a precedent holding that “children are constitutionally different from adults in their levels of culpability” when it comes to sentencing. As a result, in March of 2017, Act 539 abolished life without the ossibility of parole for people under 18. And, yet, it remains insufficient. Though the brain may be done growing in size, it does not finish developing and maturing until the mid-to-late 20s.
About Juvenile Life Without Parole
We are working to end long-term juvenile confinement through legislative reform and parole support for people released under Act 539 of 2017.
Projects
Amend Act 539
Act 539 (The Fair Sentencing of Minors Act of 2017) protects people younger than 18 years old who have committed a serious crime from being sentenced to death or life without parole. However, juvenile brains science shows that the brain is not fully developed until much later in life. We are working to ammend the law to include anyone sentence to life without the possiblity of parole under 21 years of age.
Parole Support from Former Juvenile Lifers
DecARcerate helped pass legislation that allows anyone released under Act 539 to be removed from a lifetime of parole. While this law allows many people to gain their freedom, the process can be difficult to navigate. We are working to support people as they compile their packets for the parole board and schedule meetings with prosecutors.