In early January, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed legislation to allow hundreds of people, convicted before turning 18 years old, to eventually seek parole. With the passage of SB 256, Ohio became the 24th state plus the District of Columbia to ban life without parole for juveniles (JLWOP). The use of long sentences for youth has been sharply limited by U.S. Supreme Court rulings, as described in our fact sheet on Juvenile Life Without Parole. We’ve just updated this report to include developments in Ohio. And more change may be coming this year! Bills to end death in prison sentences for kids are on the agenda in states from Indiana to Maryland to Nebraska, with legislation moving in Texas to give more people who committed crimes as teenagers a second look after 20 years. The Sentencing Project is committed to giving all youth subject to extreme sentences a second chance. It’s what we would all want for our own children. Please join us in this fight! |
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