Discussion Reply should be 500 words each and include correct usage of APA format, your Christian world view, and relevant in-text support for both. Also, include a reference at the conclusion of each response in proper APA format Juvenile Justice and Death Penalty  Introduction             Juvenile offenders and the death penalty have long been a controversial topic in the U.S. criminal justice system. The Juvenile death penalty once legal and now illegal across all 50 states has sent ripples through the criminal justice system. The follow paper briefly discusses the U.S. Supreme case behind the juvenile death penalty ban, the U.S. Supreme Court’s reasoning behind its decision that was heavily influenced by scientific research, future possible implications of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, and lastly a Biblical perspective on juveniles and the death penalty.  Juvenile Justice and the Death Penalty             According to Cox, Allen, Hanser, and Conrad (2018), in March 2005 in the case of Roper v. Simmons , the Unites States Supreme Court reversed a 1989 ruling that allowed the death penalty and therefore executions of juvenile offenders, effectively outlawing and halting exactions nationwide. The Roper v. Simmons case revolved around 17-year-old Christopher Simmons. Christopher talked to his friends on more than once occasion about wanting to murder someone (Cox et al., 2018). Christopher also described to his friends how he planned to commit this crime that included committing a burglary, tying up the victim, and push the victim off a bridge (Cox et al., 2018).              Christopher would go on to carry out his specific plan with a friend. Christopher and his friend broke into the home of Shirley Crook, tied her up, blind folded her, and proceeded to take her to a nearby park where they continued to tie his hands and feet with electrical wire and cover her face with duct tape (Cox et al., 2018). Christopher and his friend then took Shirley to a nearby river and threw her in and as a result Shirley drowned. Christopher and his friend bragged about what they had done and were soon taken into custody. Christopher admitted to his part of the murder and showed no remorse during trial (Cox et al., 2018). Christopher was then convicted and sentenced to death, which later the Supreme Court reversed stating that execution should only be limited to those offenders whose culpability makes them the most deserving of such sentence. The Supreme Court cited that scientific developments have found that juveniles have underdeveloped sense of responsibility (Cox et al., 2018).  Juvenile Brain Development             According to an article by the American Civil Liberties Union titled, “Juveniles and the Death Penalty” (2019), the scientific community that includes studies conducted by the Harvard Medical School, the National Institute of Mental health, and the University of California at Los Angeles Department of Neuroscience,  have foun ...

1. Discussion Reply should be 500 words each and include correct
usage of APA format, your Christian world view, and relevant
in-text support for both. Also, include a reference at the
conclusion of each response in proper APA format
Juvenile Justice and Death Penalty
Introduction
Juvenile offenders and the death penalty have long been
a controversial topic in the U.S. criminal justice system. The
Juvenile death penalty once legal and now illegal across all 50
states has sent ripples through the criminal justice system. The
follow paper briefly discusses the U.S. Supreme case behind the
juvenile death penalty ban, the U.S. Supreme Court’s reasoning
behind its decision that was heavily influenced by scientific
research, future possible implications of the U.S. Supreme
Court’s decision, and lastly a Biblical perspective on juveniles
and the death penalty.
Juvenile Justice and the Death Penalty
According to Cox, Allen, Hanser, and Conrad (2018), in
March 2005 in the case of
Roper v. Simmons
, the Unites States Supreme Court reversed a 1989 ruling that
allowed the death penalty and therefore executions of juvenile
offenders, effectively outlawing and halting exactions
nationwide. The
Roper v. Simmons
case revolved around 17-year-old Christopher Simmons.
Christopher talked to his friends on more than once occasion
about wanting to murder someone (Cox et al., 2018).

2. Christopher also described to his friends how he planned to
commit this crime that included committing a burglary, tying up
the victim, and push the victim off a bridge (Cox et al., 2018).
Christopher would go on to carry out his specific plan
with a friend. Christopher and his friend broke into the home of
Shirley Crook, tied her up, blind folded her, and proceeded to
take her to a nearby park where they continued to tie his hands
and feet with electrical wire and cover her face with duct tape
(Cox et al., 2018). Christopher and his friend then took Shirley
to a nearby river and threw her in and as a result Shirley
drowned. Christopher and his friend bragged about what they
had done and were soon taken into custody. Christopher
admitted to his part of the murder and showed no remorse
during trial (Cox et al., 2018). Christopher was then convicted
and sentenced to death, which later the Supreme Court reversed
stating that execution should only be limited to those offenders
whose culpability makes them the most deserving of such
sentence. The Supreme Court cited that scientific developments
have found that juveniles have underdeveloped sense of
responsibility (Cox et al., 2018).
Juvenile Brain Development
According to an article by the American Civil Liberties
Union titled, “Juveniles and the Death Penalty” (2019), the
scientific community that includes studies conducted by the
Harvard Medical School, the National Institute of Mental
health, and the University of California at Los Angeles
Department of Neuroscience, have found and demonstrated that
the prefrontal and frontal lobes of the brain that are tasked with
regulating impulse and judgement are not fully developed in
adolescents.
Researchers have found that development in this part of
the brain does not fully develop until at some point between the

3. ages of 18-22 years of age (“Juveniles and the Death Penalty.”
2019). These research findings further suggest that adolescents
may have a greater tendency towards being somewhat
impulsive, have unsound reasoning and judgement skills, and
may be less aware of the full consequences of their actions
(“Juveniles and the Death Penalty.” 2019). Although juvenile
offenders should be held accountable for their offenses, these
research findings suggest that they cannot fairly stand trial to
same extent as adults, especially when life is at stake in death
penalty cases (“Juveniles and the Death Penalty.” 2019).
Juveniles and the Death Penalty Future Implications
The case of
Roper v. Simmons
may have possible future implications other than its immediate
effects it created at the time of its decision by the U.S. Supreme
Court. For one, the U.S. Supreme Court in its majority dissent
agreed with the scientific community that juvenile’s abilities to
reason and control impulsive is not yet fully developed and
therefor are less culpable for their offenses (Cox et. al., 2018).
The U.S. Supreme also showed that they are more willing to
accept scientific research as part of their overall decision
making process given that historically, punishment in the U.S.
criminal justice system has been based on classical criminology
tenants of individuals engaging in deviant acts do so rationally
and out of free will.
Its also important to note that the U.S. criminal justice system
has also relied on classical criminology’s position that
punishment should be appropriate and fit the crime. Many may
believe that heinous murderous acts committed by individuals,
even if they’re juveniles like Christopher, should be punishable
by the death, which may come in conflict with the scientific
community’s findings of overall human development in relation
to culpability of anti-social acts.

4. Roper v. Simmons
may be setting precedent for future cases and or the overturn of
past cases, generating new case laws as humans progress and
scientific data and technology is more heavily relied upon rather
than a political and or religious approach.
Biblical Perspective
Christians have been divided on the issue of the death penalty.
The Bible, depending on who is interpreting it, may be
interpreted as mandating, prohibiting, and permitting under
certain conditions the death penalty on individuals for violent
offenses. For example, in the Old Testament, the Bible states,
“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be
shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind” (Genesis
9:6 NIV). This Bible verse can be interpreted as God mandating
that those who kill other human beings must be kill themselves,
while other Bible verses, specifically Christ’s teachings,
encourage and emphasize forgiveness.
Conclusion
Juveniles and the death penalty and or the death penalty in
general, will continue to be a controversial topic. What is clear
is that the reversal of the juvenile death penalty by the U.S.
Supreme Court in the case of
Roper v. Simmons
sent ripples through the U.S. criminal justice system in part
due to the reasoning behind its decision by taking into account
new scientific findings regarding human development in
adolescents. This then may set the stage for future cases,
especially in juvenile courts, as to the culpability a juvenile has
for his or her actions, and subsequent appropriate punishments.
Resources

5. Cox, Steve M., Allen, Jennifer M., Hanser, Robert D., Conrad,
John J. (2018). Juvenile
Justice: A Guide to Theory, Policy, and Practice.
Thousand Oaks, California:
Sage Publications.
Juveniles and the Death Penalty. (2019). Retrieved from:
https://www.aclu.org/other/juveniles-and-death-penalty