Cyntoia Brown & the “51-To-Life” Project: Nevada

This is the twenty-ninth in a series of posts on the “51-To-Life” Project. In Tennessee, if a juvenile is convicted of first-degree murder, there are two sentencing options: (1) life without the possibility of parole; or (2) life with the possibility of parole, with that possibility only existing after the juvenile has been incarcerated for 51 years. In this post, I will explain why Nevada treats juvenile homicide offenders better than Tennessee. 

Section 176.025 of the Nevada Revised Statutes states the following:

Sentence of death or life imprisonment without possibility of parole not to be imposed on person under age of 18 years.  A sentence of death or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole must not be imposed or inflicted upon any person convicted of a crime now punishable by death or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole who at the time of the commission of the crime was less than 18 years of age. As to such a person, the maximum punishment that may be imposed is life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.

Therefore, Nevada has banned juvenile life without parole sentences. As a result, Nevada treats juvenile homicide offenders better than Tennessee.

-CM