The death penalty for minors
Article Review Assignment: Historical Tradition Changes: New Policy on the Death Penalty for Minors
Article Review Assignment: Historical Tradition Changes: New Policy on the Death Penalty for Minors
Read the following article in the Library.
- (2009). Roper, Superintendent, Potosi Correctional Center v. Simmons: certiorari to the Supreme Court of Missouri. Supreme Court Cases: The Twenty-first Century (2000 – Present), 1–5.
After you have read the article, write a 3–5-page summary of the article addressing the questions below:
- In Roper v. Simmons, what was basis of the U.S. Supreme Courts’ opinion?
- What was the dissenting opinion?
- What policy and treatment implications can you envision as a result of this decision?
- Do you believe that juveniles should be put to death? Why, or why not?
Provide illustrative examples to support your position.
Use appropriate APA citations and other research to support your claims.
Answer preview
Crimes committed by minors worldwide are usually due to peer influence or irresponsibility. In this article, Simmons murdered at 17, and at 18, he was sentenced to death. Simmons appealed the ruling, and the Supreme Court nullified the death penalty and sentenced Simmons to life imprisonment. Both the court opinion and dissent opinion used the eighth amendment to base their judgment on the Simmons case. Exploration of the policy and treatment of juvenile offense for the death penalty forms the basis for this review. (1027 words)
