Juveniles and the death penalty Executions of juveniles began in 1642 with the execution of Thomas Graunger, from Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, his age was not stated in the reference. (Minimum Death Penalty Ages) Three hundred and fifty years later, Twenty-Three states have legalized the execution of juveniles. Eighteen of those Twenty-three states have lowered the legal age of execution to sixteen. (Minimum Death Penalty Ages) For reasons unknown the public has supported the death penalty since …showed first 75 words of 11107 total…

…showed last 75 words of 11107 total…would warrant the death penalty could put a juvenile in a position to gain great respect from his peers. The second deals with the hypocrisy also previously mentioned. With the state-legitimizing killing as it does, some minors are compelled and encouraged to commit crime. It is as though they feel no responsibility to a! bide by the laws the government sets down when that government doesn't follow them itself. The problems surrounding the death penal