Week 4- Juvenile Death Penalty-Justin Vizcaino

The death penalty is a very stigmatized concept when applied to the youth. We consider citizens adults at the age of 18, yet many children aged 17 and younger have been given the death penalty sentence for crimes they committed. “As is the case throughout the juvenile justice system, African-American and Latino youth are disproportionately affected by the juvenile death penalty” (Morreale 2004). Our film stated that many professors believe that the death penalty affects the poor first. Since the majority of poverty affects colored people, the death penalty directly affects minorities. “Although African-Americans and Latinos makeup approximately 6.8% and 6.9% of the U.S. population ages 14 through 17, respectively, 41% of the73 juvenile offenders on death row as of March 15, 2004 was black or African-American and 21% was of Latino or Hispanic origin” (Morreale 2004).

I also think it is interesting how many states have gradually condemned the death penalty for youths. “Over the past couple of years, many states have begun to outlaw the death penalty” (Lane 2005). I do not believe that the death penalty positively affects society. After watching the film, I believe that many of the juvenile inmates are genuinely remorseful. These juveniles can be reformed and should not have their life striped from them. Instead of focusing on the death penalty, we should focus on reform programs. If we develop effective reform programs, we can become a more wholesome society. Also, we need to focus on rectifying societal structure. These acts of crime are occurring because of the societal environments these children are placed in.




Works Cited

Films for the Humanities and Sciences."Death Row Kids" 2005. Online video clip. Arizona Universities Library Consortium. FMG Video On Demand. Accessed on 7 February 2011. http://digital.films.com/play/ VGL58V



Morreale, M. C., & English, A. (2004). Abolishing the death penalty for juvenile offenders: A background paper. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35(4), 335-339.



Steinberg, L., & Scott, E. S. (2003). Less guilty by reason of adolescence: Developmental immaturity, diminished responsibility, and the juvenile death penalty. The American Psychologist, 58(12), 1009-18.