Second Chance Kids Documentary Response
1
The major issue addressed by the documentary Second Chance Kids is whether kids who commit violent crimes like murder should get a second chance at life. The documentary shows that teens who are convicted of murder and basically given life sentences with no chance of parole. Thus, before they are even really adults their lives have been forfeited to the state. The question this documentary asks is whether this is a fair approach to criminal justice. The documentary looks at both sides of the issue, showing that from one perspective it does not seem fair that a mistake—even one as bad as murder—should be something that a kid has to spend the rest of his life paying for behind bars; on the other hand, what if society is really dealing with an evil human being? Should it risk the safety of the rest of society by releasing that person back into the community?
2
The documentary opens with a list of people describing their violent crimes. There is Steven Ward, who murdered a man in 1988 by beating him and stabbing him. There is Jose Tevenal who shot and killed a cab driver. There is James Costello who attacked and killed Mrs. Paciulo. There is Herby Caillot who killed a family. There is Malik Aziz who shot a man in the back. The narrator describes the situation for this people as they deal with living in jail. There are opinions given from people like Howie Carr who asks why he is supposed to feel sorry for these people. There are the arguments of lawyers on both sides. There is Professor James Fox who explains that an entire generation has been desensitized to violence and that this might help some people to have compassion on their situation. There are also the members of the families of some of the victims, who give their perspective. Some of the groups involved are the Equal Justice Initiative, as well as the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior. A reporter for the Marshall Project is there to help show that there is more going on with these convicts below the surface: their crimes may seem horrific but they are often victims of abuse themselves, so it is not like they are completely malicious. There is Anthony Rolon, who is up for parole but the mother of his victim will never forgive him and she shows up at the parole hearing to convince the parole board that Anthony should remain behind bars to serve out his sentence. Anthony Rolon was given parole as were a handful of others. The documentary catches up with them a year or so after their parole. Anthony is now a father and wants to make sure he raises his child correctly. There is a sense of regret, remorse and a firm purpose of amendment. In spite of the objections of the families of the victims, these offenders are freed, deemed fit to reenter society on probation because they are viewed to no longer be the individuals they were when they committed their crimes.
3
The documentary does a good job of showing both sides of the issue, giving air time to those who oppose the Court decision to allow teen offenders to be eligible for parole even though they have been given life sentences. The victims’ families give their opinion that this is unfair and that their son or brother or so on is dead and not coming back so why should this person get a second chance? But the documentary tends to fall on the side of mercy and clemency, as it ends on a tone of optimism...
Though these factors can be an influence on the juvenile's choice to commit a crime, the ultimate cause of the crime was the juvenile's own cost-benefit analysis, according to this model. A practical exploration of this model can be done using Jacob Ind, one of the five Colorado teenagers sentenced to life in prison without parole in Frontline's documentary, "Kids Who Get Life" (Bikel 2007). Ind was convicted of killing
Missouri has seen a rise in African-America juveniles tried as adults. Statistics from 2009 state 64% of the juveniles tried as adults were of African-American descent. This is almost double of the amount in 2001 which was 36%. (Cooper) This brings to light an increase in racial disparity and the nature of prosecution in Missouri. Many of the cases of the African-American juvenile offenders certified as adults are prosecuted in
In principle, the United States should follow international treaties only if it is a signatory to that specific treaty. However, the Supreme Court of the United States cannot ignore international standards completely either. There are several reasons for this. The world is becoming more and more globalized. Large numbers of immigrants have flocked to the United States in the last several decades and likewise American military and the FBI increasingly
An interesting and similar development in juvenile justice is the issue of life imprisonment as a cruel and unusual sentence for juvenile offenders. This issue is addressed by Mark Sherman (2009). Sherman states that Joe Sullivan was 13 years old when he attacked and raped an elderly woman. The court judged him as incorrigible and therefore sentenced him to life without parole. Another example is that of Terrance Graham, who
Criminal Justice Juveniles who are Imprisoned for Life with No Parole We live in a world where human beings of any age commit and are punished for menial to heinous crimes. In other words, humans at every stage of life are committing and being punished for crimes, including children and teenagers, called juveniles under the law until they reach adulthood. The paper will explore and debate the pros and cons of sentencing
" (Social Services Policy Center - Britain, 2005) Further stated is that "Most offenders in the UK are dealt with by non-custodial sentences. Custodial sentences for indictable offences by adults account for less than one sentence in five, while fines cover more than a third of all offences. About a fifth are given intermediate sentences like probation or community service. The Probation Service (in England and Wales) administers supervision in the
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