Please support me in petitioning for a review and change of sentencing policies that impose life without parole (LWOP) on juvenile offenders and young adults up to the age of  25. I would like to call for the elimination of life without parole for these vulnerable populations, and for the adoption of sentencing practices that implement rehabilitation, restorative justice, and re-entry programs.

For decades, the death penalty and life without parole have been the harshest sentences reserved for society’s most serious offenses. While the death penalty permanently ends a life, LWOP condemns young people to decades of incarceration with no hope of release. This practice is at odds with modern understandings of brain development and the potential for change. Neurological research shows that the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for impulse control, rational decision-making, and foresight, continues to mature well into the mid-twenties. Therefore even young adults up to age 25, who might be considered adults, are still experiencing neurological growth. For this reason, it is fair to group individuals up to 25 with juveniles when it comes to sentencing. Sentencing a juvenile or young adult to an irreversible punishment ignores the vulnerabilities and ongoing development of a young person's brain.

The history of American sentencing shows many shifts in public and judicial attitudes toward capital punishment. From its introduction by British settlers, through its evolution with landmark cases such as Furman v. Georgia (1972), which temporarily halted executions, and Gregg v. Georgia (1976), which revived capital punishment, the  justice system has wrestled with balancing punishment and rehabilitation. “Tough on crime” policies have led to a rise in lengthy and LWOP sentences, even as society’s understanding of rehabilitation evolved. Today, nearly every state uses LWOP sentences, with the exception of Alaska, and over 56,000 people serve these sentences nationwide. 

It is especially concerning that young people, who are often affected by environmental disadvantages such as exposure to violence, unstable home environments, and limited support systems, face such sentences. The circumstances that lead youth to commit crimes are often not the product of malice, but are caused by a combination of factors that with support and intervention, can be prevented. When youth are sentenced to LWOP, we deny them the opportunity to change, grow, and become contributing members of society. Modern cases have already recognized this potential. Rulings such as Thompson v. Oklahoma (1998), Roper v. Simmons (2005), Miller v. Alabama (2012), and Montgomery v. Louisiana (2016), have limited the use of irreversible punishments for juveniles. 

The argument that taking away any chance for release guarantees public safety is undermined by emerging evidence. Studies show that when juveniles participate in structured rehabilitative programs, recidivism rates are low. Research has shown that only a small fraction of those given LWOP as juveniles reoffend after release. Most who do re-establish productive lives had taken part in rehabilitative programs and had community support. It is also important to acknowledge that taking away LWOP for those under 25 does not definitively mean that every young adult will not spend an ample amount of time, or even their whole life incarcerated if necessary. We must adopt policies that allow for the possibility for parole and reintegration rather than subjecting individuals to a life of incarceration with no hope of release. 

In light of the above evidence from both neuroscience and the evolving legal practices, we must re-evaluate and revise sentencing guidelines for youth offenders. I propose the elimination of life without parole sentences for individuals under 25, accompanied by intensive rehabilitative programming that extends past the prison sentences of these individuals. This change aligns with both science and ethics, as well as a commitment to a society that believes in the possibility of redemption.

To learn more, contact the Sentencing Project. “The Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice.”

1150 Connecticut Ave NW

Suite 601

Washington, D.C. 20036

202.628.0871

staff@sentencingproject.org

Further References

Cox, T. (Host). (2011, October 10). Brain maturity extends well beyond teen years. [Audio 

podcast episode]. In Tell me more. NPR. 

https://www.npr.org/2011/10/10/141164708/brain-maturity-extends-well-beyond-teen-years 

Death Penalty Information Center. (n.d.). History of the death penalty. 

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/resources/high-school/about-the-death-penalty/history-of-the

-death-penalty. 

Elliott, D. S. (1997). Environmental factors contribute to juvenile crime and violence. Juvenile 

Crime: Opposing Viewpoints. Retrieved from 

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/environmental-factors-contribute-juve

nile-crime-and-violence#:~:text=Environmental%20factors%20that%20contribute%20to,

either%20violence%20or%20physical%20abuse. 

National Institute of Justice. (2014, March 10). From youth justice involvement to young adult 

offending. 

https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/youth-justice-involvement-young-adult-offending#1-0

Nellis, A. & Barry, C. (2025, January 8). A matter of life: The scope and impact of life and long 

term imprisonment in the United States. The Sentencing Project. 

https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/a-matter-of-life-the-scope-and-impact-of-life-and-long-term-imprisonment-in-the-united-states/ 

Sbeglia, C., Simmons, C., Icenogle, G., Levick, M., Peniche, M., Beardslee, J., & Cauffman, E. 

(2024). Life after life: Recidivism among individuals formerly sentenced to mandatory 

juvenile life without parole. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 35(1). 

https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12989 

The Sentencing Project. (2013, September 18). Life goes on: The historic rise in life sentences 

in America. https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/life-goes-on-the-historic-rise-in-life-sentences

in-america/#footnote-8.