11.11.2009

73 U.S. Kids Sentenced to Life Without Parole at 14 or Younger, and All Are Black

This is unfortunate. It's the kind of statistic that -- one would hope -- might give the justices pause. Racism has been central to the policies that led to the rise in life sentences for juveniles in the first place -- and not just in Florida. The Supreme Court may rely on legal precedents to make their decisions -- but that does not mean it necessarily learns from history.