John,

Despite a wave of reforms across America that reduce the use of juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) sentences, thousands of youth and emerging adults have been left behind even though their sentences are essentially the same, according to a new report released today by The Sentencing Project. Still Cruel and Unusual: Extreme Sentences for Youth and Emerging Adults argues for extending the sentencing relief available in JLWOP cases to those serving other forms of life imprisonment for crimes committed in their youth.

The report highlights the latest data on youth and emerging adults serving life sentences, including:

Life sentences for youth under 18

In 2020, over 8,600 people were serving either life with the possibility of parole (LWP) or “virtual” life sentences of 50 years or longer for crimes committed as minors.
California (2,358), Georgia (900), Texas (1,081), and New York (461) hold the largest number of youth sentenced to LWP or virtual life sentences.
In Georgia and Wisconsin, 10% or more of the entire life-sentenced population were under 18 at the time of their crime.
In the following states, at least 80% of people serving these sentences are Black: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, and Mississippi.

Life sentences for people 25 or younger

Nearly two in five people sentenced to life without parole (LWOP) were 25 or younger at the time of their crime.
Being Black and young produced a substantially larger share of LWOP sentences than being Black alone: two-thirds of emerging adults sentenced to LWOP were Black.

A broad range of experts across the fields of neuroscience, sociology, and psychology agree that juveniles and emerging adults share reduced culpability and developmental immaturity. In addition, social science consistently shows that extreme penalties offer little community safety benefit.

As states implement policies to eliminate LWOP for juveniles, they must provide a second look for all youth, not just some.