Should Juvenile Killers Be In Jail Forever?

What do some people believe about life sentences without parole for juvenile killers?

• That it is vicious and freaky punishment.

• That it is weird and mean punishment.

• That it is cruel and unusual punishment.

• That it is unnecessary and evil punishment.

The U.S. Supreme Court had to consider whether juvenile sentences of life without parole violates a constitutional right. Which constitutional right is (potentially) violated by this type of punishment?

• Protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

• The right to cross-examine a witness.

• The right to a unanimous jury verdict.

• The right to remain silent.

Which of the following are reasons the Supreme Court voted against the death penalty for juveniles in 2005?

• They are less able to see the consequences of their actions than adults.

• They are more impulsive than adults.

• Their brains are less developed than adults.

• All of the above.

As it stood at the time of the article's writing, were judges allowed to consider a defendant's age or background in a homicide case?

• No

• Yes

Describe one example from the article (I'd look back beginning at Paragraph 15) of a juvenile that went to prison and was successfully rehabilitated.

Which of the following best identifies the main idea of the article?

• Juvenile criminals should be subjected to the same punishments as adults, even if they are not equally aware of any legal consequences; the law is the law

• In cases of homicide, it is important to take into account the juvenile offender's criminal history when deciding upon punishment for homicide cases.

• Minors should not be held to the same legal standards as adults because their brains are not as developed and their actions mean less than adults'

• In some states, juveniles convicted of committing or being involved in homicide are automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole, though many people argue that this is unjust and cruel

Which of the following best matches the meaning of the word "egregious" in Paragraph 26?

• circumstantial or uncommon

• outstandingly bad or shocking

• indicative of poor character

• unusual and surprising

What is homicide, based on the context clues of the article?

• Murder

• Embezzlement

• Theft

• Arson

What is one reason some people support the idea of life without parole for juveniles who commit homicide?

• They believe it will deter them from committing homicide in the first place.

• They believe that if they can't get the death penalty, they should get life without parole, at the very least.

• They want to counterbalance the harm the juvenile has inflicted.

• All of the above.

At the time of this writing, how many juvenile killers were set to die in prison?

• 85

• 43

• 79

• 0