Supreme Court rulings reshape penalties for young offenders
Among the U.S. Supreme Court’s many rulings on juveniles and crime, several big cases over the last dozen years have narrowed the instances in which those who commit offences under age 18 can be subject to the harshest penalties. A look at these recent cases:
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ROPER V. SIMMONS
This decision banned the death penalty for those under the age of 18. Prior to the ruling, 16- and 17-year-olds were eligible for capital punishment in some states.