California juveniles sentenced to life in prison might be freed
Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 06:19AM California Governor Jerry Brown is facing pressure to sign a bill that would give juveniles serving life without parole a chance at receiving a reduced sentence.
The bill’s sponsor, State Sen. Leland Yee, said this is not a “get-out-of-jail-free card,” but could provide a second chance to inmates who show remorse for crimes they committed in their youth. Instead of serving life in prison, they could petition for a court hearing, potentially lowering their sentence to as little as 25 years.
“It is an incredibly modest proposal that respects victims, international law and the fact that children have a greater capacity for rehabilitation than adults,” said Yee, who is also a child psychologist.
The Fair Sentencing for Youth Act has drawn support from religious leaders (including the California Catholic Bishops), child advocates, mental health professionals, law enforcement officers and civil rights groups.
“The passage of SB 9 speaks volumes for who we are as a society – that we believe kids deserve a second chance,” said Yee. “The neuroscience is clear – brain maturation continues well through adolescence and thus impulse control, planning and critical thinking skills are not yet fully developed. SB 9 reflects that science and provides the opportunity for compassion and rehabilitation that we should exercise with minors.”
The legislation would allow prisoners who committed crimes as juveniles to have their cases reviewed after 15 years – thereby allowing them to go before a judge while in their 30’s.