Summary Course Juvenile Justice
Master of Criminology
2025-2026
(Passed with 19/20)
1
,CLASS 1 — INTRODUCTION: “A Story of Justice and Redemption”
1. BIG PICTURE OF THE COURSE
Positioning the course as:
• more advanced than the bachelor course,
• international and comparative,
• theory-driven,
• debate-oriented.
The course is not only about:
• how juvenile justice systems work,
but especially about:
• how societies define youth crime,
• how youth should be punished,
• whether punishment is legitimate,
• child rights,
• proportionality,
• rehabilitation,
• diversion,
• restorative justice.
This first class introduces these themes through the issue of: Juvenile Life
Without Parole (JLWOP)
2. CENTRAL IDEA OF THE FIRST LECTURE
Children are constitutionally, psychologically and morally different from adults.
Therefore:
• they should not receive the harshest punishments,
• they possess greater rehabilitative potential,
• punishment must account for developmental immaturity.
This idea runs through all Supreme Court cases discussed.
3. BRYAN STEVENSON — SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE
The lecture starts with: Just Mercy and Bryan Stevenson.
2
,Important points:
• founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI),
• criminal justice reform advocate,
• emphasizes redemption, humanity, racial injustice,
• strongly opposes extreme punishment,
• involved in Miller v. Alabama.
The professor is likely using Stevenson symbolically:
• justice should include mercy,
• children should not be “thrown away,”
• the system must recognize human capacity for change.
This connects directly to:
• desistance,
• rehabilitation,
• restorative justice,
• child-friendly justice
4. WHAT IS JLWOP?
Juvenile Life Without Parole = sentencing a person under 18 to prison for life
without any possibility of release.
The US is exceptional here: US historically imposed extremely punitive juvenile
sentences compared to Europe.
Even after reforms:
• 1465 people were still serving JLWOP in 2020.
5. THE FIVE SUPREME COURT CASES
A. ROPER v. SIMMONS (2005)
Rule: Death penalty for juveniles is unconstitutional.
Main arguments: Juveniles:
• are immature,
• more vulnerable to peer pressure,
• have reduced culpability,
3
, • possess greater capacity for reform.
The Court relied on: Eighth Amendment (prohibition of cruel and unusual
punishment) and: “evolving standards of decency.”
Important idea: A civilized society evolves morally.
B. GRAHAM v. FLORIDA (2010)
Rule: No life without parole for juveniles convicted of non-homicide crimes.
Key principle: Proportionality
The harshest punishments should be reserved for the most serious crimes.
The Court stresses: A life sentence affects a child differently than an adult.
Very important quote: “A 16-year-old and a 75-year-old each sentenced to life
without parole receive the same punishment in name only.”
Crucial concept: “Meaningful opportunity for release”
The Court does NOT guarantee release, but guarantees a realistic possibility of
rehabilitation and reconsideration. This idea is extremely important for juvenile
justice philosophy.
C. MILLER v. ALABAMA (2012)
Rule: Mandatory JLWOP sentences are unconstitutional.
This is one of the most important cases. Why? Because judges must:
• individualize sentences,
• consider youthfulness,
• consider developmental immaturity,
• consider background and circumstances.
Justice Kagan: adolescence is marked by “transient rashness, proclivity for risk,
and inability to assess consequences.”
This introduces: adolescent brain development, a key theme throughout the
course.
4
Master of Criminology
2025-2026
(Passed with 19/20)
1
,CLASS 1 — INTRODUCTION: “A Story of Justice and Redemption”
1. BIG PICTURE OF THE COURSE
Positioning the course as:
• more advanced than the bachelor course,
• international and comparative,
• theory-driven,
• debate-oriented.
The course is not only about:
• how juvenile justice systems work,
but especially about:
• how societies define youth crime,
• how youth should be punished,
• whether punishment is legitimate,
• child rights,
• proportionality,
• rehabilitation,
• diversion,
• restorative justice.
This first class introduces these themes through the issue of: Juvenile Life
Without Parole (JLWOP)
2. CENTRAL IDEA OF THE FIRST LECTURE
Children are constitutionally, psychologically and morally different from adults.
Therefore:
• they should not receive the harshest punishments,
• they possess greater rehabilitative potential,
• punishment must account for developmental immaturity.
This idea runs through all Supreme Court cases discussed.
3. BRYAN STEVENSON — SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE
The lecture starts with: Just Mercy and Bryan Stevenson.
2
,Important points:
• founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI),
• criminal justice reform advocate,
• emphasizes redemption, humanity, racial injustice,
• strongly opposes extreme punishment,
• involved in Miller v. Alabama.
The professor is likely using Stevenson symbolically:
• justice should include mercy,
• children should not be “thrown away,”
• the system must recognize human capacity for change.
This connects directly to:
• desistance,
• rehabilitation,
• restorative justice,
• child-friendly justice
4. WHAT IS JLWOP?
Juvenile Life Without Parole = sentencing a person under 18 to prison for life
without any possibility of release.
The US is exceptional here: US historically imposed extremely punitive juvenile
sentences compared to Europe.
Even after reforms:
• 1465 people were still serving JLWOP in 2020.
5. THE FIVE SUPREME COURT CASES
A. ROPER v. SIMMONS (2005)
Rule: Death penalty for juveniles is unconstitutional.
Main arguments: Juveniles:
• are immature,
• more vulnerable to peer pressure,
• have reduced culpability,
3
, • possess greater capacity for reform.
The Court relied on: Eighth Amendment (prohibition of cruel and unusual
punishment) and: “evolving standards of decency.”
Important idea: A civilized society evolves morally.
B. GRAHAM v. FLORIDA (2010)
Rule: No life without parole for juveniles convicted of non-homicide crimes.
Key principle: Proportionality
The harshest punishments should be reserved for the most serious crimes.
The Court stresses: A life sentence affects a child differently than an adult.
Very important quote: “A 16-year-old and a 75-year-old each sentenced to life
without parole receive the same punishment in name only.”
Crucial concept: “Meaningful opportunity for release”
The Court does NOT guarantee release, but guarantees a realistic possibility of
rehabilitation and reconsideration. This idea is extremely important for juvenile
justice philosophy.
C. MILLER v. ALABAMA (2012)
Rule: Mandatory JLWOP sentences are unconstitutional.
This is one of the most important cases. Why? Because judges must:
• individualize sentences,
• consider youthfulness,
• consider developmental immaturity,
• consider background and circumstances.
Justice Kagan: adolescence is marked by “transient rashness, proclivity for risk,
and inability to assess consequences.”
This introduces: adolescent brain development, a key theme throughout the
course.
4
