The Court grounded its on common sense . . . but on holding “not only science and social science as at 2464, which demonstrate id. well,” fundamental differences between juveniles and adults. The Court noted those [scientific] findings of transient rashness, proclivity for risk, “that – and inability to assess consequences both lessened a – child’s ‘moral and enhanced the prospect that, as the years go by and culpability’ neurological development be Id. occurs, his ‘deficiencies will reformed.’” at 2464-65 (quoting 130 S. Ct., at 2027; 543 Graham, Roper v. Simmons, U.S. 551, 570, 125 S. Ct. 1183, 161 L. Ed. 2d 1 (2005)). In which held that life without parole sentences for Graham, juveniles convicted of non-homicide offenses violate the Eighth Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court found that three essential characteristics distinguish youth from adults for culpability purposes: As compared to adults, juveniles have a of “lack maturity and an underdeveloped sense of or responsibility”; they “are more vulnerable susceptible to negative influences and outside pressures, including and their peer pressure”; characters are as well 543 Roper, “not formed.” U.S. at 569-70. These salient characteristics mean that is difficult even for expert “[i]t psychologists to differentiate between the juvenile offender whose crime reflects unfortunate yet transient immaturity, and the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects at 573. Accordingly, irreparable corruption.” Id. offenders cannot with reliability be “juvenile classified among the at Id. worst offenders.” 569.
The Court grounded its holding “not only on common sense . . . but on science and social science as well,” id. at 2464, which demonstrate fundamental differences between juveniles and adults. The Court noted “that those [scientific] findings – of transient rashness, proclivity for risk, and inability to assess consequences – both lessened a child’s ‘moral culpability’ and enhanced the prospect that, as the years go by and neurological development occurs, his ‘deficiencies will be reformed.’” Id. at 2464-65 (quoting Graham, 130 S. Ct., at 2027; Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551, 570, 125 S. Ct. 1183, 161 L. Ed. 2d 1 (2005)). In Graham, which held that life without parole sentences for juveniles convicted of non-homicide offenses violate the Eighth Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court found that three essential characteristics distinguish youth from adults for culpability purposes: As compared to adults, juveniles have a “lack of maturity and an underdeveloped sense of responsibility”; they “are more vulnerable or susceptible to negative influences and outside pressures, including peer pressure”; and their characters are “not as well formed.” Roper, 543 U.S. at 569-70. These salient characteristics mean that “[i]t is difficult even for expert psychologists to differentiate between the juvenile offender whose crime reflects unfortunate yet transient immaturity, and the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects irreparable corruption.” Id. at 573. Accordingly, “juvenile offenders cannot with reliability be classified among the worst offenders.” Id. at 569.
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