Youths Serving Life Without Parole Get Second Chance in California
Youths Serving Life Without Parole Get Second Chance in California
California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law on Sunday a measure that grants juvenile offenders sentenced to life in prison without parole the chance to petition for their release after serving 25 years.
Roughly 300 inmates in California’s prison system have been sentenced to a lifetime behind bars for offenses committed as teenagers, according to the bill’s sponsor, state Senator Leland Yee, a Democrat from San Francisco.
Those inmates will now be eligible for parole after serving at least 25 years in prison.
The courts can review their cases after 15 years in prison and lower their sentence to 25 years to life if the juvenile offenders demonstrate remorse and work towards rehabilitation.