SB 9 Youth Sentencing (Yee, D-San Francisco) An Adult Crime Against Poor Children

Seek Justice in Juvenile Sentencing	Take Action!
ACT NOW – Life without Parole for Juveniles Needs Reform
We all share a responsibility to promote the principles of dignity, compassion and healing as we work toward a criminal justice system that emphasizes restorative justice.  Ask California lawmakers to take a step toward common sense in our justice system by supporting SB 9 Youth Sentencing (Yee, D-San Francisco).  The measure gives youngsters sentenced to life imprisonment the opportunity to request a parole hearing instead of giving up all hope so early in their life. There is no question that youth who commit crimes should be held accountable—but in a way that reflects their age and their capacity for rehabilitation. When youth are sentenced to life without parole, rehabilitative programs and services for them are eliminated for the rest of their life.  Juvenile life without parole (LWOP) closes off any opportunity or incentive for them to ever redeem themselves in society’s eyes.  SB 9 recognizes that all young people, even those serving life without parole sentences, have the capacity to change for the better and should have access to the rehabilitative tools to do so. Under SB 9, a youth that has been sentenced to life without parole could petition the court to review his or her case after serving between 10-25 years in prison.  There is no guarantee of parole, only the opportunity to earn it. We as Californians should reserve the ability to review whether a person sentenced to life in prison as a child has been rehabilitated, especially since many sentenced in this way may have had no foreknowledge a homicide was planned, may have been poorly represented by counsel, or may have been overly influenced by an adult.  In any case, both science and common sense tells us that immature teenagers make bad decisions. Deadlines are fast approaching for bills to pass out of their house of origin. This bill is in the Senate Appropriations Committee and will be taken up this week. If and when it comes out of this committee, it will go directly to the Senate floor for a vote within the following week.  You may be able to “take action” a few more times on this important bill.   Please TAKE ACTION now.  Thank you.