NCJ Number
134525
Date Published
1992
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The current juvenile death penalty system is examined regarding the number of death sentences imposed and number of deaths of juvenile inmates.
Abstract
A total of 109 juvenile death sentences have been imposed since 1973, only 2.4 percent of the total 4,581 death sentences imposed for offenders of all ages. Of these juvenile death sentences, two-thirds were imposed on 17-year-old offenders, and the other third on offenders age 16 and15. The rate of juvenile death sentencing fluctuated considerably in the beginning of this period, but then settled to an annual rate of 2 percent of total death sentences in the mid-eighties, with the exception of 1987 to 1989. Of the 109 sentences imposed, only 33 remain currently in force. Four has resulted in execution, and 72 have been reversed. For the 76 juvenile death sentences resolved, the reversal rate is 95 percent (72/76). As of December 1991, 33 persons were on death row under death sentences received for juvenile crimes. This group of juveniles constitutes 1.3 percent of the total death row population of about 2,547. Although all were age 17 or younger at the time of the crime, their current ages range from 16 to 33. They were under death sentence in 13 different States and had been on death row from 6 weeks to 14 years. All 33 juvenile offenders on death row were male and had been convicted and sentenced to death for murders. A detailed listing of the name, age, race, gender, State, and current status for each juvenile death sentence is appended as are the names of juvenile offenders currently on death row with information about their crimes and sentences.