Unfortunately, sometimes children can commit violent crimes. We want safe communities, however, we know that harsher punishments do not deter crime. We can advocate for victims, work to prevent juvenile crime and still acknowledge the differences between young people who commit criminal offenses and adults.
The human brain does not stop developing until the mid-20s, and the area responsible for judgment and impulse control is the last area to fully mature. In Minnesota, there are 14-year-olds who are sentenced to life in prison. Many of these young people currently incarcerated are serving longer sentences than adults who are sentenced under similar circumstances and sometimes at higher levels of involvement.
We must have compassion for the most vulnerable members of society, even if they are young people who have committed crimes. It is not fair to judge them as adults.
Recently, juvenile sentencing reform bills reached the Minnesota house and senate— HF1300 and SF1325—which would give our kids a second chance. However, without legislative support, the measures will not likely reach the floor for a vote. We are asking that constituents reach out to their state legislators in the house and senate (www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts), and ask them to support HF1300 and SF1325, to give Minnesota’s youth a chance to have their sentences reviewed after 15 years, to determine if they qualify for early release.
Again, the legislation would allow youthful offenders to have their sentences reviewed after 15 years of incarceration; it is not a guaranteed release.
The HF1300 and SF1325 bills would give juveniles an opportunity to have their sentencing reviewed at 15 years, making them eligible for release. This is a significant step towards reforming the juvenile justice system. We need to get hearings in both the house and senate public safety committees to get this to move for a vote.
Juvenile Sentencing Reform Minnesota needs your help to get this to a vote!
Juvenile Sentencing Reform Minnesota
Juvenile sentencing reform I definitely do not agree or believe in HF 1300 or SF 1325 this is ridiculous these children are committing adult crimes and they should be sentenced as such it is very unfortunate that they are getting life sentences but I’m sure they’re aware that when caught they will be doing time for their crimes as long as they have real evidence that they’ve committed these crimes and not the fictitious made up charges that seems to follow many of these black youth reviewing their cases after 15 years of imprisonment I think is wrong as well they have now learned the skills of a professional Criminal while serving time in prison I’d like to see them have a choice the military or prison I’m sure a lot of them would chose the military and it could changed their lives forever the justice system is very biased against people of color I would hope they would think twice before committing these crimes especially where someone was actually murdered I know that police are doing what they can and they’re not as bad as We Believe but there’s still a lot of corruption in the police force it’s very scary we have to remind our black children to keep their head on a swivel and to comply when confronted by the police or criminals it cost a lot of money to house these children in prison and if we were to put that money into better programs for the children maybe we wouldn’t have as many murders when I say programs I mean real programs with real people that actually care about these children not these fake organizations that are in it just for the money mad dad’s Minneapolis Urban League to name a few just ridiculous as hard as it may seem and believe me I do love our but all this car jacking murders and senseless crimes have got to go