I’m Not the Same Teenager I Once Was: Juvenile Lifers Pleading for Parole

• In Event: Policies and Practices Regarding Mercy and Wrongful Conviction

Abstract

A critically important aspect of discretionary release decisions is the parole board hearing. Parole board hearings provide eligible offenders with an opportunity to make the case for their release. But few eligible lifers are released after their minimum sentence, especially if they committed an extra-ordinarily violent offense. In virtually all U.S. states reasons for denial may be statutorily based on offense seriousness. In cases of juveniles sentenced as adults, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2012 Miller decision indicated that the adolescence of a juvenile should be taken into account. But how are parole boards considering the adolescence of their parole eligible offenders? To address this question, we draw on 20 recorded parole board hearings for juvenile lifers. Our analysis presents a catalog of statements on how offenders make the case for their release, and how those reasons are negated by offense seriousness. We find that adolescence at time of offense is rarely considered a reason for neutralizing offense severity, and demands for the offender to serve their maximum sentence. We further observe parole hearings may be considered more ceremonial than real in their impact on discretionary release decisions.

Authors

• Simon I. Singer, Northeastern University

• Stuti Subbaiah Kokkalera, Northeastern University