NCJ Number
155665
Journal
Journal of Juvenile Law Volume: 15 Dated: (1994) Pages: 150-167
Date Published
1994
Length
18 pages
Annotation
In recent decades, the increasing rate of violent crime committed by juvenile offenders has forced legislatures and the courts to consider the application of capital punishment to minors.
Abstract
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in two cases involving juvenile murderers that the imposition of capital punishment on an offender who murders at age 16 or 17 does not constitute cruel or unusual punishment. All members of the Court agreed that the issue required them to consider evolving standards of decency in the society. This determination divided the Court into three distinct camps. The first opposed juvenile capital punishment for offenders under age 16 or for those up to age 18. The second camp favored capital punishment for juveniles, while the third would require States' capital punishment statutes to specify a minimum age at which the commission of a capital crime could lead to an offender's execution. 156 notes