The Change that Needs to be Made: A Shift From Juvenile Life Without Parole to the Use of Rehabilitative Programs in Florida

Life without parole is the harshest sentence a minor can receive for a homicide offense. Florida is one of a few states that still allow this type of sentence for minors. This sentence violates the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution because it is a cruel and unusual punishment as it locks up a minor for the rest of his or her life, or at least for most of it. Life without parole for juveniles who commit homicide offenses should no longer be available in Florida. A juvenile should receive a sentence that does not keep them incarcerated for the majority of his or her life expectancy. Juveniles sentenced to life without parole are denied opportunities to participate in rehabilitation programs. This leaves the juvenile feeling hopeless, denies the juvenile the opportunity to change his or her character, and does not allow the juvenile to receive the help he or she may need. The criminal justice system takes away the opportunity for parole for certain minors, depriving them of a chance at life outside of the prison walls. This Article examines some of the issues with sentencing minors to life without parole. It concludes by proposing that the sentence should be banned in Florida