High court to look at life in prison for juveniles

These are horrific crimes, without question, but it does seem very questionable to sentence a thirteen year old boy to life with no possibility of parole when no other lives were taken.

No easy answers here, but hopefully the SC will work toward a more sane policy.

In Canada anyone who murders is treated as a misunderstood soul who needs hugs and kisses rather than incarceration.In this town the two most recent murders involved 5 killers under 16 years old.Only one the the killers did time,3 years,and the rest got off scott free.At least one of them brags if given the chance to kill another white man he would do it.In my mind a human that is capable of killing in cold blood no matter their age should be removed from society forever.Of course racial politics enter into everything thing.All the above mentioned killers where native and up here they are considered national treasures.There is no protection for the average citizen,up here it is illegal to defend yourself with deadly force.The "justice system?" is not working and one has to wonder what to do.

Most Rapists in some states walk,or get very lenient punishment..The state of Vermont is probley the worse..Megans law does not apply there...A Mecca for Child Abusers.A liberal state,infiltrated by the Loons ,Former Hippys and Pot Heads.Ruining that great state..Sen. Pat Leah,thinks all is ok...Judges letting Child Molesters Free

A 13yr old ..life?.is barbaric..Punishment Yes..But a living death senyance?...I think not...Let Muslims do that, but please not in America!

This business an eye for an eye applied to children does not speak well of our country
Adults..yes Cut Their Nuts off...but legally young need a different approach!

We come a long way from hanging kids for stealing bread when they were starving.....those Judges who did this,that community allowing that are not examples to follow..........

Problems arise VERY early in troublemakers' lives...that's where intervention and monitoring need to take place.

And what of the victims of these created monsters?

Recently youths raped a mother, and forced her son to have sex with his mother then pour fingernail polish to wash away their crime.

The parents' of these monsters did take the stand and confess to contributing to their children's problems.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbe...

The problems need to be attacked EARLY, not later.

Where are social services...perhaps orphanges need to be brought back. Living with parents who are too into their misery does not help their children.

But let's face it...even when homes "seem" normal..we get vicious kids.

Who cares about this guy. Let him rot in jail.

Burt wrote:

Who cares about this guy. Let him rot in jail.

His family?

His friends?

Jesus?

He did an atrocious thing, but he was thirteen years old, for God's sake. And he didn't kill anybody.

What about "cruel and unusual punishment"?

Mean anything to you?

Dos wrote:

Problems arise VERY early in troublemakers' lives...that's where intervention and monitoring need to take place.
And what of the victims of these created monsters?
Recently youths raped a mother, and forced her son to have sex with his mother then pour fingernail polish to wash away their crime.
The parents' of these monsters did take the stand and confess to contributing to their children's problems.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbe...
The problems need to be attacked EARLY, not later.
Where are social services...perhaps orphanges need to be brought back. Living with parents who are too into their misery does not help their children.
But let's face it...even when homes "seem" normal..we get vicious kids.

I am left to wondering if these kids are beyond any help.
.

Dos wrote:

Problems arise VERY early in troublemakers' lives...that's where intervention and monitoring need to take place.
And what of the victims of these created monsters?
Recently youths raped a mother, and forced her son to have sex with his mother then pour fingernail polish to wash away their crime.
The parents' of these monsters did take the stand and confess to contributing to their children's problems.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbe...
The problems need to be attacked EARLY, not later.
Where are social services...perhaps orphanges need to be brought back. Living with parents who are too into their misery does not help their children.
But let's face it...even when homes "seem" normal..we get vicious kids.

Best place to start is with a concentrated program of discouraging teenage pregnency. Many criminals come from impoverished women. End all government child welfare programs and make the parents and grandparents pay for the support of their kids/grandkids. Hillary said it takes a village, right? Start with the families.
.
Work camps for fathers who do not pay child support.
.
The toughie: change a corrosive culture that makes the criminal lifestyle admirable.

Chicago Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
His family?
His friends?
Jesus?
He did an atrocious thing, but he was thirteen years old, for God's sake. And he didn't kill anybody.
What about "cruel and unusual punishment"?
Mean anything to you?

Putting rapists behind bars is not "cruel" in my opinion. You and I both know it is very likely this guy will offend again if released. Really dude, what is wrong with you? Normal kids don't rape old ladies at 13 (or any other age).

Do not do the crime, if you can't do the time.

Disgusting pervert.

He deserved mob justice, not a single additional day in court, for what he did.

Burt wrote:

<quoted text>
Putting rapists behind bars is not "cruel" in my opinion. You and I both know it is very likely this guy will offend again if released. Really dude, what is wrong with you? Normal kids don't rape old ladies at 13 (or any other age).

It's not cruel for a kid who commits this atrocious act at 13 years old to never have a chance to live life outside bars?

I know the recidivism rate is high, but we have no idea what this kid's life was like before, or what it's like now. I agree fully that it is abnormal for a young kid to rape an old lady. I'm not painting him as a victim, but SOMETHING had to be going on at home for him.

Is there no chance he could repent, find faith, and turn his life around? I shudder to think what would happen if some of the stupid shit I did as a kid followed me all of my life.

Moral Majority wrote:

Do not do the crime, if you can't do the time.
Disgusting pervert.
He deserved mob justice, not a single additional day in court, for what he did.

Yeah, don't let the laws, or the Constitution, or any sense of justice cloud your mob mentality...

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu.XR_fVKoR8AIEN... **http%3a//74.6.239.67/search/ cache%3fei=UTF-8%26p=cooth%26f r=slv8-yie8%26u=www.urbandicti onary.com/define.php%253Fterm% 253Dcooth%26w=cooth%26d=Fw3249 29TsZF%26icp=1%26.intl=us%26si g=RXhjueGBP0qjYDsu.rqieg--

Chicago Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
It's not cruel for a kid who commits this atrocious act at 13 years old to never have a chance to live life outside bars?
I know the recidivism rate is high, but we have no idea what this kid's life was like before, or what it's like now. I agree fully that it is abnormal for a young kid to rape an old lady. I'm not painting him as a victim, but SOMETHING had to be going on at home for him.
Is there no chance he could repent, find faith, and turn his life around? I shudder to think what would happen if some of the stupid shit I did as a kid followed me all of my life.

I'm starting to understand why kids kill each other so much in Chicago.

Small beast grow into big beast. Life sentence better then a death sentence.

The sentence is a crime in itself. He did not deserve the life sentence for what he did. His age and the fact he didn't commit murder should have been deterrents against that kind of sentence. Adults who have committed more heinous crimes, such as murder, child molesting, etc., are given less harsh sentences, then paroled to recommit their crimes. This is shameful. That judge and the legal system are disgraceful and should be investigated. I'd bet if research were done, that same court has given lesser sentences to worse criminals. That boy's life has been taken from him yet murderers often get off with a few years.

Chicago Guy wrote:

These are horrific crimes, without question, but it does seem very questionable to sentence a thirteen year old boy to life with no possibility of parole when no other lives were taken.
No easy answers here, but hopefully the SC will work toward a more sane policy.

I'm glad to see some have compassion. Appreciate your post and totally agree.

Chicago Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
It's not cruel for a kid who commits this atrocious act at 13 years old to never have a chance to live life outside bars?
I know the recidivism rate is high, but we have no idea what this kid's life was like before, or what it's like now. I agree fully that it is abnormal for a young kid to rape an old lady. I'm not painting him as a victim, but SOMETHING had to be going on at home for him.
Is there no chance he could repent, find faith, and turn his life around? I shudder to think what would happen if some of the stupid shit I did as a kid followed me all of my life.

Nothing is wrong with him. He Obviously he feels the punishment ought to fit the crime and that the courts should take into consideration the fact this is a child with a child's mentality. The life sentence for this kid's crime is far too harsh. Child molesters and murderers are given light sentences, then let out to rape and kill again; but this boy is not a pedophile or a murderer and deserves a chance.

You are correct in stating that normal kids don't rape an old woman, but the key word is kid. He's a kid, not an adult. How do you know he didn't have a mental problem or some other problem that affected his mental state? Whatever it may be, he deserves a second chance.

Burt wrote:

<quoted text>
Putting rapists behind bars is not "cruel" in my opinion. You and I both know it is very likely this guy will offend again if released. Really dude, what is wrong with you? Normal kids don't rape old ladies at 13 (or any other age).

Good post. This is a terrible thing to take away that child's life. It looks like the legal system is reverting back to the days when children were hanged for stealing food.

TASKMASTER wrote:

Most Rapists in some states walk,or get very lenient punishment..The state of Vermont is probley the worse..Megans law does not apply there...A Mecca for Child Abusers.A liberal state,infiltrated by the Loons ,Former Hippys and Pot Heads.Ruining that great state..Sen. Pat Leah,thinks all is ok...Judges letting Child Molesters Free
A 13yr old ..life?.is barbaric..Punishment Yes..But a living death senyance?...I think not...Let Muslims do that, but please not in America!
This business an eye for an eye applied to children does not speak well of our country
Adults..yes Cut Their Nuts off...but legally young need a different approach!
We come a long way from hanging kids for stealing bread when they were starving.....those Judges who did this,that community allowing that are not examples to follow..........

Chicago Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
His family?
His friends?
Jesus?
He did an atrocious thing, but he was thirteen years old, for God's sake. And he didn't kill anybody.
What about "cruel and unusual punishment"?
Mean anything to you?

blamo on jesus, god, gov, in vesttee boy, n the world?:-0

Cheyenne75 wrote:

Good post. This is a terrible thing to take away that child's life. It looks like the legal system is reverting back to the days when children were hanged for stealing food.<quoted text>

Great comment. "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons."- Fyodor Dostoevsky

Also when you consider the rise in prisons as a slave industry (for profit/private) and the majority of people (appx 60%) are non violent drug offenders. Then you have the recipe for disaster. We are the worlds largest incarcerater. Only China comes in second. tisk tisk.

I agree that violent predators should be behind bars, and any crime against property or person. If you eliminate all the "moral" or "vice" crimes then your prison population (aka free labor) will plummet.