Minors should not be punished to life without parole. But many people believe that the justice system is too lenient on minors who commit violent crimes. The decision making part of our brains are not fully developed until we are about 25 years old. There are currently 79 people currently in prison for life without parole who committed crimes when they were 14 or younger. The idea for life in prison without parole for minors is from the 1980’s and 1990’s when violent crime rates were soaring. Since then, the rates have come down dramatically. In April 2007, a California Senate Committee on Public Safety passed the Juvenile Life Without Parole reform act. The United States is the only place where minors can be sent to jail without the possibility of parole.

The decision making part of our brains are not fully developed until we are about 25 years old. Because our brains are not fully developed until we are 25, it is hard to send someone to jail for life when their brains are not even ready to perform at 100%. In an interview with guest host Tony Cox for NPR, neuroscientist and author Sandra Aamodt explains how the brain is not fully developed until we are about 25 years old. The part of the brain that is not fully developed is the prefrontal cortex. That is that part of the brain that helps inhibit impulses and plan or organize behavior. It helps us make decisions. In a counterargument article, people believe that although the brain is not fully developed, minors still know the difference between right and wrong. While the part of the brain that controls impulse control is not fully developed in minors, teenagers still know that it is wrong to torture and kill someone.

There are currently 79 people currently in prison for life without parole who committed crimes when they were 14 or younger. These are all kids that have no chance at a life even if they do change their lives around. And many times they are being abused in their home lives. Sheldry Topp has been incarcerated in Michigan for 49 years. He admitted to researchers that when he committed his crime, he was running away from the abuse in his home.

The idea for life in prison without parole for minors is from the 1980’s and 1990’s when violent crime rates were soaring. Since then, the rates have come down dramatically. Youth crimes in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s reached all times highs but have since reached an all time low. In fact,, around 1993, there were nearly 500 violent crimes committed by juveniles per every 100,000 juveniles between the ages of 10-17. But in 2012, the rates have reached an all-time low of less than 200 violent crimes per 100,000 juveniles between the ages of 10-17. While there is not one direct reason as to why the crime rates have fallen, one can say that it is because of the harsh sentences juveniles receive such as life without parole. Because there is not one reason, it is hard to find evidence.

In April 2007, a California Senate Committee on Public Safety passed the Juvenile Life Without Parole reform act. Many states across the United States have decided to take another look at giving life without parole sentences to juveniles. Many people believe that it is cruel and unusual punishment. Because brains are not fully developed before 25, incarcerating minors for life does not make sense. Minors are more likely to change and be rehabilitated because of their brains are still changing. The California Senate Committee on Public Safety’s Juvenile Life Without Parole reform act would let juveniles be eligible for parole in after 25 years. The counterargument for this claim is similar to an earlier one, that even though the brain is not fully formed, teenagers still know the difference between right and wrong.

The United States is the only place where minors can be sent to jail without the possibility of parole. While we are the only country that has the sentence of life without parole for juveniles, 12 states plus the District of Columbia have banned that sentence for children because many people view this sentence as cruel and unusual. There are no rebuttals of this claim. Although there is no counterclaim, Brazil is now considering to lower the age in which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16.

While many people believe that minors deserve to be in prison for life without parole, I do not. There are many different factors to take into account when sentencing a minor to jail time for any crime, but one thing to remember is that our brains are not fully developed until we are 25. There is time for us to change and rehabilitate ourselves. I do not believe that sentencing a minor to life in prison without parole is an effective way to punish them. It leaves them without hope and no child should ever be without hope.