This is a documentary by Ken Dornstein (2017). It can be found on Films on Demand from the BMCC Library databases. The movie explores court rulings and decisions on granting parole to teenagers who were sentenced for life. It discusses science, main players, victim and offender families, punishments, and the consequences of those punishments. The documentary is fascinating because it presents a social experiment as it unfolds before our eyes; we still do not know its full outcome. I am sure the documentary will make you think. Here are some questions to consider. Should a teenager be sentenced for life? Should a teenager be given a second chance, when the victim’s family opposes the decision? Should the parole board grant release when the victim’s family forgives the offender? Should the parole board have complete discretion over the release decision? Should criminologists and social scientists be held responsible for the trends they create by introducing speculative concepts (i.e., super-predator kids)? Why would the trend punish more harshly young teenage black and Latino kids?
