The U.S. juvenile justice system is under intense scrutiny over how minors should be punished for serious crimes, including cases where children receive life sentences.
Experts and civil rights groups argue that teens should be treated differently from adults due to trauma, poverty, and ongoing brain development, which affects decision-making and impulse control.
In landmark Supreme Court rulings, mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles were ruled unconstitutional, requiring judges to consider age, background, and rehabilitation potential.
However, laws vary by state, and sentencing outcomes remain inconsistent across the country.
