Beyond Redemption?
The United States is the only country in the world that sentences children under 18 to life imprisonment without parole. In Illinois alone, there are at least 103 individuals serving this sentence. For the past two years, DLA Piper lawyers in Chicago have been working with the Northwestern University School of Law, Human Rights Watch and other groups to bring attention to this disquieting practice.
In Illinois, we conducted interviews with almost all of these 103 individuals, compiled data on laws surrounding juvenile sentencing and reviewed international standards for the treatment of children. In collaboration with the Illinois Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Children, in 2008 we published a comprehensive report aiming to open debate about the issue. The report has received national media attention, helping to spark a dialogue in Illinois and across the US.