Death Penalty: Juveniles

Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, there have been 18 executions of juvenile offenders, approximately 2.4% of the total number of executions; 10 executions occurred during the 1990s. There are currently 83 inmates on death row who were sentenced as juveniles, approximately 2.24% of the total death row population (NAACP, 2002).

Currently, 38 states and the federal government authorize the death penalty. Sixteen of these states and the federal government mandate that the individual must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the crime to be eligible for the death penalty. Twenty-two states permit the execution of offenders who committed capital offenses prior to their 18th birthday. Five states have chosen 17 as the minimum age, and 17 states have ...