Children are incredibly capable of change as they age, even if they have committed a terrible crime in their youth. Yet the United States is the only country in the world that routinely sentences children to die in prison – and Louisiana has condemned more young people to this fate, per capita, than any other state. In addition to life without parole sentences, the state routinely doles out virtual life sentences – 80, 100, even 300 years – that all but guarantee a child won’t live to be released.
We fight to end extreme adult sentences for youth. We advocate at the state legislature, litigate in court, collect data, and act as a resource to other attorneys – all to ensure that every child has the opportunity for redemption.
Are you a defense attorney with a client currently facing or serving juvenile life without parole or another extreme sentence? You can find helpful materials in our resource bank or by contacting supervising attorney Jill Pasquarella.
Christi Comes Home
At age 16, Christi was sentenced to life without parole. No matter how much she grew and changed, she was fated to die in prison. But that didn’t stop Christi from working to become the best person she could be. So when LCCR helped secure parole eligibility for “juvenile lifers” like her, Christi was ready. Read more.
