I guess I see this as an interesting contrast to the current teachers thread. I am pretty torn on this, and couldn't even answer the poll question. My biggest thing is what type of "rehabilitation" are you going to give a 13 or 14 year old. If they do 10 or more years, for example, in an adult corrections center, there is no way on earth that they will come out and have any clue how to live life. They would have a stigma attached forever, thus making employment a near nil chance since they have no work history, and their teen years would have been spent seeing prison life as the norm. If you were to say that it was cruel and unusual, you would have to put ALOT of resources in to making sure that they actual come out rehabilitated not more bitter/angry. Pretty hard to see that happening in our current system.
But, then way that against the fact that 13 and 14 year olds aren't mentally/emotionally mature as adults, that they act far more on impulse, and whatever troubled past/homelife they might be in., and how can you look at it, even in the most horrendous cases and not see that somehow, this was a life ruined before it ever had a chance to start. Sympathy for the victims, justice for the victims, all of that needs to see that this is not an act fully understood by the perpetrator, even if he/she thinks she does.
Like I said, I couldn't choose an answer on the poll, but would like to hear other people's thoughts:
Underlying Yahoo story (not very informative - like most Yahoo bits)
What's Your Verdict: 14 Years Old and Life Without Parole? - Yahoo! News
Poll Website
Should 13 and 14 year old killers be sentenced to life without parole?