Sentencing Youth to Life in Prison

This book analyzes the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings deeming juvenile life without parole sentences to be cruel and unusual punishments.

"Sentencing Youth to Life in Prison: Justice Denied is an excellent survey of juvenile crimes, sentencing, restorative justice, the Supreme Court decisions of Graham v. Florida, Miller v. Alabama, Montgomery v. Louisiana and their progeny. The authors very clearly reflect the impact of the 8th Amendment and the importance of the Michigan Constitution's on the evolving standards of decency in our justice system. Having served on a committee to bring about the proper implementation of Miller v. Alabama, I know these authors have reviewed our efforts. I highly recommend Sentencing Youth to Life in Prison: Justice Denied to all who have an interest in preserving justice in our criminal system."Honorable Fred M. Mester, U.S. Attorney, Circuit Court Judge (retired); Ombudsman for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan "Sentencing Youth to Life in Prison is a heart-wrenching and analytic look into the United States' youth justice system. Told through the stories of those most impacted by the juvenile justice system and juvenile life without parole, backed by science and research, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in justice system reform." Gabrielle French, Policy Associate, Michigan Center for Youth Justice "Those interested in in-depth analysis and discussion of the moral and clinical deficits of public responses to juvenile delinquency, criminality and incorrigibility will find this book valuable. The thorough and careful punctuation of topics with relevant and current examples of the effect of sentencing children to life imprisonment make a compelling case for exploration." Abu Mboka, Ph.D., Professor of Criminal Justice, California State University, Stanislaus, Author: "Criminal Justice Assessment & Classifications of Prisoners, Probationers & Parolees" "Milliken-Boyd and Windell's book provides an essential indictment of America's harshest punishment for young people life imprisonment. The authors carefully explain the history of life sentences imposed on youth focusing onstates that use the sentence most. They then combine this in a unique way with profiles of individuals sentenced to life. The narrative and quantitative research provided in their book makes a strong case for abolishing life sentences for youth." Ashley Nellis, Ph.D., Senior Research Analyst, The Sentencing Project, Campaign to End Life Imprisonment

Autorentext

Kathi Milliken-Boyd is a licensed social worker and former juvenile justice specialist for the State of Michigan. She was the first female youth specialist at W.J. Maxey Boys Training School in Whittemore Lake, Michigan, where she worked with violent youth. She worked for the Michigan Department of Social Services and frequently evaluated youth who were being waived into the adult criminal system.

James Windell is a former juvenile court psychologist, who teaches criminal justice at Oakland University and Wayne State University and is an author. He frequently writes about the criminal justice system and this is his 38th book.

Klappentext

This book analyzes the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings deeming juvenile life without parole sentences to be cruel and unusual punishments.

Inhalt

Introduction; Part I. Children Getting Life; 1. Condemning Children to Die in Prison; Part II. Kathi's Story about Kevin Boyd; 2. Is Adult Prison the Only Answer?; 3. How Did We Get Here?; 4. Kevin Boyd is Sentenced; Part III. Which Juveniles Receive Life Sentences?; 5. Assessing Juvenile Lifers; 6. Who Gets Sentenced to Life Without Parole?; 7. The Supreme Court Gets Involved; Part IV. The Voices of the Victims; 8. Justice for Victims; 9. Victims and Restorative Justice; Part V. The Prosecuting Attorneys; 10. Resistance to Understanding and Compassion; 11. Miller and the Prosecutors; Part VI. Juveniles in Prison; 12. The Rarest of the Rare: Who Deserves Life Without Parole?; 13. What Happens to Juveniles in Adult Prisons?; Part VII. Why Do We Treat Vulnerable Youth So Harshly?; 14. Why do We Treat Kids So Badly?; Part VIII. Justice Reform; 15. Where Do We Go from Here?