Discuss this editorial.

In the U.S., children 13 and 14 years old are sentenced to DIE IN PRISON for crimes during which no one died, no one was hurt, or no harm was intended and expected (so-called FELONY murders where the child is made fully responsible for actions of adults or older teens). On the other hand adults get much lighter sentences for far worse crimes, including those against children. It's a mockery of justice.

Didacticus @ 1:09 AM PDT, May 4, 2009

I work at one of California's Juvenile Halls where young people wait, sometimes years, to be sentenced. They are completely in the dark as to their future. Often these kids were in the wrong place with the wrong people. Children make choices differently then adults but many are treated as "unfit" which means that they are tried by our justice as adults. The fact that we do not help them, to rehabilitate them but only punish them is a sin against all of us. It also has created a pandemic with all our youth even our children. We are all responsible for the next generation.

Martin Faugno @ 2:44 PM PDT, May 2, 2009

So life without parole is considered cruel and unusual-for now its only 'minors'who of course we are going to 'cure' right?-OK most of the kids we are talking about are victims of dysfunction-orphanges anyone? Maybe if we had thought about that 20 years ago we would'nt be having this conversation.

JB @ 9:00 AM PDT, May 2, 2009

This bill is a start but its not a solution. We really need to change are laws in-regards to our youth. We also need to create away to reintroduce people that have paid for their crimes into the community so they can take part in our communites. Thank you for what you are doing but more people need to really take a good look at our prison and legal system and we need to change it.

isaiah @ 1:55 PM PDT, May 1, 2009

The only country on earth that allows a life sentence without parole for a child--that is amazing.

reform now @ 1:46 PM PDT, May 1, 2009

Law Reform is imperative to help save our nation's youth, Prosecutors have entirely TOO much power in the decision making. Child cases belong in "juvenile courts". State statures dictate legal definition of a "child". "Anyone under the age of 18, so WHY are so many "children" being tried as an adult, with adult sanctions? Children deserves a "chance" that officials never offer, to help turn their lives around and become a productive member of society. Victims are NOT forgotten, but these children are also "victims of an unjust system".

knightgale @ 4:06 AM PDT, May 1, 2009

Maybe a good start would be for President Obama to sign the UN Declaration of Human Rights. We are the only developed country in the Western Hemisphere to refuse to do so. If that were to happen states like California would have a much harder time imposing their draconian sentencing laws.

Mary Ann Martorana @ 9:09 PM PDT, Apr 30, 2009

Quite true. A variety of factors have contributed to the crisis in the California prisons, but the worst is the public's lack of understanding and their demand for harsher and harsher penalties that just don't work. Behavioral Science and Education has given us a body of literature on how to do effective rehabilitation. But if we continue to spend money and energy on incarceration and punishment, we will only reap what we sew -- parolees who are ill-prepared to return to society and children who are thrown away early in life with no hope of redemption. Elaina Jannell, Ph.D. AFSCME Local 2620

Elaina Jannell @ 9:06 PM PDT, Apr 30, 2009

I am too disgusted and disheartened to come up with any words in response to the horrific California justice system other "sickening". We must institute real reforms that will save salvable lives and lots of money. Thanks for the article.

Pray4Peace @ 9:02 PM PDT, Apr 30, 2009

Great piece. Its good to see the times supporting work that will actually make California progress. There is an organization up in Northern California that has been working to reform the the juvenile justice system here for years. They are the Books Not Bars Campaign and they housed at the Ella baker Center for human Rights www.ellabakercenter.org

Mark @ 4:31 PM PDT, Apr 30, 2009

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