Incarceration rate in the world
“In a world that demands justice when the unthinkable becomes reality, there are no easy answers when that reality involves minors. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and remains the only nation that, in rare circumstances, will sentence its juveniles to life without parole. Is it a solution? Does it work? Do we care?”
Ultimately, this decision comes down to our shared values as a society: how much value we place on rehabilitation versus retribution; how much faith we have in our justice system’s ability to accurately assess each offender’s capacity for reform; and how willing we are to consider alternatives when it comes to dealing with young people who commit serious offenses.