70.83%	Yes
29.16%	No

Comment: I think if a juvenile commits more than one violent crime then a long prison term is warranted. I think they should be given the long prison terms along with mandatory evaluations and/or counseling. Studies have shown that juveniles who commit these types of crimes at a young age grow into adults and do the same thing. from Pensacola by Andre

Comment: Yes, I believe juveniles who are convicted of certain violent crimes i.e: murder and violent sex crimes should be sentenced to life in prison. I would also like to see a mandatory life sentence for juveniles and adults convicted of child molesetation. If the courts don't send a clear message that this will not be tolerated, then they will just continue to prey on children and adults. from Florida by Derek

Comment: do the crime do the time from mobile ala. by ellis

Comment: For the last few decades, we have taken too soft an approach in dealing with all violent offenders at the expense of law abiding taxpayers. We've concentrated on rehab instead of punishment trying not to offend anyone in the ACLU. Well, it isn't working! We should try something different such as life sentences or at least long term sentences for violent juvenile offenders. from Crestview, FL by Doug

Comment: if they do the crime they need to do the time.because the next time it could be a more serious crime such as murder. from milton fl by ron

Comment: If you are old enough to commit the crime, then your old enough to serve the time. It may make others think before doing. from Milton by Hal

Comment: If they commit an adult crime, they should be held accountable as an adult would. There is something seriously wrong with a 13 year old that rapes a woman in her 70's. from Pace, FL by Michelle

Comment: If a juvenile has the ability to rape, maim, or violate someone in any way, then he should be held responsible for such a violent crime even if it means life in prison. from Pensacola by Ann

Comment: The law should, maybe be changed that a teen 15 yoa or younger for a violent crime, no death involved, should serve 25 years and one day. 16 yoa or older, YES, life in prison, with no hope of parole. I'm retired Captain, with 25 yrs in Law Enforcement. from Milton, Florida by Chuck

Comment: ok people, lets get this through your heads...if these knuckleheads are doing this sort of crime at this age, they only will get worse as they get older! if they have committed a capital crime...then they should be treated like an adult! in many of these cases, the punishment fits the crime...no matter what their age is. that is the problem with american society. the kids here get away with murder because their parents and other adults keep cuddling them and treating them with kids gloves...and the kids know they can get away with crimes because they are still under 18...i cannot believe that these folks are advocating these little thugs! what they should be doing is helping the victims if they want to contribute to a great cause! from p'cola fl by h

Comment: If the Supreme Court has decided to look at the situation...tells you something is wrong with the issue. from Pensacola,FL by D

Comment: My answer of yes is based on the forty plus years of experience I've had in law enforcement and security. In all those years, it has been my experience that when "felons" begin in the teens, their life of crime only expands in later years. It is true, 'a leopard can't change its' spots'. All the bleeding heart liberalism in the world will not change what God has intended to be done. from Mary Esther, Fl. by Tom

Comment: Why don't the Justices study all the damage these kids did to innocent people, before they finally got old enough to receive a life sentence? from Pensacola, FL by Charles

Comment: yes, because some people are born with no conscience and should be either put to death or incarcarated for life from pensacola by georgia

Comment: If they do the crime.....they can do the time. from Pensacola, FL by John

Comment: Children are never adults from Pensacola, Fl by Donna

Comment: If they are old enough to do the crime they are old enough to serve the time..... from Pensacola, Florida by Theresa

Comment: No, children should never get a life sentence. They should get help. from Indiana by Cheryle

Comment: Clearly, there are limits. For example, multiple murders could warrant a life sentence, but for almost any other violent crime, there should be a way to rekindle respect in an individual for themselves, their family, their community, etc. Committing the crime in the first place is a failure of the parents, the community, and our education system - in addition to the responsibility the individual bears for their behavior. from Pensacola / FL by Rick

Comment: I believe a first-offending youth should be given the opportunity of rehabilitation, counseling, and education within the juvenile justice system. The adult system provides no rehabilitation, counseling, nor education and a life sentence for a child is a death sentence. from California by Patricia

Comment: I think each child and each case should be tried on an individual basis instead of a mandatory one fits all. I also think a juvenile 12 to 17 should be reviewed after 10 years and see if they are being reabilitated after all shouldn't this be the reason for prison. Even some adults sometimes need a second chance. from boynton beach fl by marylin

Comment: NO! Why juveniles? They can be a one time offender. Adults aren't treated like this. They are constantly paroled only to reoffend, but that doesn't change it for adults. Why are the children being picked on? Then you put them with adults who rape them, threaten them, abuse them, even worse. What is wrong with this country???? from SOUTH HAMILTON by beth

Comment: FIRST LET ME MAKE THIS STATEMENT IF THIS WAS MY LOVE.THAT WAS RAPE OR KILL AND IT WAS AND TEENAGERS.HE,OR WHO EVER MUST PAY FOR HIS/OR HER CRIME .BUT LIFE IN PRISON IS NOT THE ANSWER .FOR LIFE.WE SEEM TO THINK OUT OF SIGHT-OUT OF MIND UNTIL IT HAPPEN TO SOMEONE CLOSE TO US,ARE SOME CHILD THAT IS VERY,OR AND OFFICIAL CHILD THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT,ARE FAMOUS.ARE SOME CHILD THAT END UP WITH AND PUBLICS DEFENDERS,WHO REALLY DON'T CARE.YOU NOT GOING TO LIKE THIS BUT PEOPLE MEMBER IS VERY SHORT,THIS FOR ALL WHETHER YOU WHITE OR BLACK.ETC. THE KING BROTHER KILL THEIR FATHER AND THEY DID NOT GET LIFE IN PRISON.MATTER OF FACT THEIR ARE MANY ,MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM,GET BACK INTO SOCIETY- ROUTINE,ALSO GET BACK PAY SOCIAL SECURITY,IF I'M CORRECT THIS LADY WAS OR WORKING FOR UWF,HOW MANY TEENAGERS HAVE THAT SUPPORT.SOME PEOPLE HAVE A HEART AND SOME DON'T HAVE A HEART.AND JUST DON'T CARE.BUT GOD LOVE US ALL.FORGIVE US ALL.AND WE ALL HAVE DOING SOMETHING IN LIFE OR HAVE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE..THE CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION CREATED IN 1870.IS THEIR JUSTNESS.IT NOT WHAT YOU KNOW,IT BEING IN THE RIGHT CIRCLE.THAT IS HARD FOR MANY OF US.WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONNECTION,WHEN WE NEED IT.GOD BLESS MR JOE SULLIVAN I HOPE THEIR IS A JUSTICE FOR HIM.WHEN YOU THROW AWAY THE KEY ON A TEEN AND PUT HIM IN THE LIONS DEN WITH WILD ANIMALS,AND IT TIME TO COME OUT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT.I'M AWARE THAT NOTHING WILL BECOME OF THIS COMMENT..THIS COULD BE YOUR CHILD OR GRANDCHILD,GODCHILD,ETC,LIFE IN PRISON IS NOT A CURE FOR ALL CRIME.WE TALKING JUVENILES. from PENSACOLA FL by CATHY

Comment: This question is bogus, because it distorts the issue behind the Supreme Court case. A fair question would be: should 13-year-old children who did not murder anyone be eligible for LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE? I think ABC 3 is disingenuous when it ignores the real issue and sets up a bogus question where the results are easily predictable ahead of the time. I challenge ABC to ask a real honest question about this issue. by David

Comment: Yes I believe they should be able to get a life sentence. Right now Juveniles know that they will not stay in jail long, so it doesn't affect them. I also think their record should not be sealed when they become an adult from Mary Esther, FL by Alan

Comment: For certain crimes yes. I do not think that certain people can be rehabilitated. They may not have murdered any YET. from Pensacola Fl by Stacy

Comment: If someone is old enough to commit a crime, they are old enough to do the time. Ask those lawyers how the victums felt. Now that is cruel and unusual pumishment. Let's start stand up for ourselves. How in the world did the criminals get more rights than us law abideing citizens. PHOOEY. Thats what I say. from Pensacola Fl. 32514 by Sandra Lee

Comment: what message are we sending to anybody if your young enough or you enlist someone young enough you can get a lesser sentence ? What kind of deterrence is that,o yeah lets get your children to work for a few dollars from DESTIN by TROY

Comment: Absolutely, just like the 17 yrold idiot who shoot and killed the Donkey, he is a Serial Killer in the making. When one committs the crime they should do the time regardless of age. I hope that someone hold the parents of that 17 yr old donkey killer responsible in all ways... from Pensacola by James

Comment: The punishment should fit the crime without regard for the age of the perpetrator. There are too many violent crimes being committed by juveniles. They often are treated too lightly by the court system and go on to commit more violent crimes. It is time to say no more. If you are big enough to do the crime then you need to do the time. Society has become too permissive and it has driven our crime rate very high. from Laurel Hill, Florida by Mike

Comment: Juvenile are not leopards. They can change. They WILL change. We now know more about the delayed brain development of all juveniles. from Longboat Key, FL by Rob

Comment: THE ACORN DON'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE, LET HIM OUT OF PRISON AND SEE WHAT KIND OF FAMILY HE RAISES!!! from pensacola fl by james

Comment: Mandatory sentencing is not a one size fits all solution. Children are the most rehabilitatable. No child is an adult. www.justiceforjuveniles.org from Streator, Illinois by Cari