Congresswoman Richardson Praises The Supreme Court's Decision Regarding Lifetime Sentences For Juveniles

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Laura Richardson hailed the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Graham v. Florida that sentencing juvenile offenders to life in prison without parole is considered "cruel and unusual" punishment and not allowed under the Eight Amendment.
"This ruling gives us hope that young people who make mistakes will not be left to spend their lives in a prison cell, but that they may still have the opportunity to be positive contributors to their communities," Congresswoman Richardson said. "A fair justice system makes sure that the punishment fits the crime and this ruling will help to reinforce that and to reduce the number of excessive and unfair sentences. I am a firm believer that more good is possible through rehabilitating and training these juveniles than locking them up and throwing away the key, which is why I pleased with this ruling and why I have previously supported legislation in Congress like the Second Chance Act."

This case, which the Supreme Court settled with a 6-3 vote, determined that life behind bars without the chance of even being considered for possible release was an unconstitutional sentence for those offenders who may lack full "culpability" for their actions because of their ages.

"I see two main areas to focus on when dealing with the issue of crimes committed by youth," Congresswoman Richardson added. "First, we need to do a better job of working in our communities and setting up programs and mentorships so our young people will not start down the wrong path in the first place; and second, we need to put a lot more emphasis on rehabilitation and training if they do make a mistake, so they can learn how to be a positive and productive members of their communities. We have to move away from this idea of throwaway children and instead work to create valuable citizens."

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