IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 382 
Expressing the need to eliminate life without parole for children. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 27, 2015 
Mr. CA´RDENAS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the need to eliminate life without parole for 
children. 
Whereas approximately 2,500 individuals in the United 
States have been sentenced to die in prison for crimes 
committed as children; 
Whereas the United States is the only country in the world 
that imposes life without the possibility of release or pa-
role sentences on children; 
Whereas the United States, along with South Sudan, are the 
only United Nations Member States that have not rati-
fied the Convention on the Rights of the Child which pro-
hibits the use of the death penalty and life without the 
possibility of release sentences from being imposed on 
children under 18 years of age; 
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Whereas a life without the possibility of release or parole sen-
tence is a final judgment that disregards children’s 
unique capacity to grow and change as they mature into 
adulthood; 
Whereas studies have shown that children’s brains are not 
fully developed and as a result, children are less capable 
than adults to consider the long-term impact of their ac-
tions, control their emotions and impulses, or evaluate 
risks and reward; 
Whereas fundamental differences between juvenile and adult 
brains make children uniquely capable of long-term 
growth, rehabilitation, and change as their brains mature 
over time; 
Whereas the vast majority of children who commit crimes age 
out of criminal behavior and no longer pose a threat to 
society in adulthood; 
Whereas the United States recognizes that children are dif-
ferent from adults by the limitations society places upon 
them; 
Whereas children are not allowed to enter into contracts, pur-
chase or consume tobacco and alcohol, vote, serve in the 
military, or engage in other adult activities; 
Whereas the only area where the United States does not treat 
children different from adults is in criminal sentencing 
laws; 
Whereas children sentenced to life without the possibility of 
release or parole are most frequently the most vulnerable 
members of United States society; 
Whereas studies show that nearly 80 percent of juvenile lifers 
reported witnessing violence in their homes and more 
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than half (54.1 percent) witnessed weekly violence in 
their neighborhoods; 
Whereas in addition, 50 percent of all children sentenced to 
life in prison without the possibility of parole have been 
physically abused and 20 percent have been sexually 
abused as a child; 
Whereas Black children are 10 times more likely to receive 
a life without the possibility of release or parole sentence; 
Whereas 14 States including Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Ken-
tucky, Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Dela-
ware, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and West 
Virginia have all eliminated life without the possibility of 
release or parole sentences for all children under 18 years 
of age in the last several years; 
Whereas 3 other States including California, Florida, and 
Washington have eliminated life without the possibility of 
release or parole for most children under 18 years of age 
in the last several years; 
Whereas the American Bar Association passed Resolution 
107C earlier this year calling on the Federal Government 
and all State governments to retroactively abolish life 
without parole sentences for children; 
Whereas the United Methodist Church and the Catholic 
Church have called for an end to life without the possi-
bility of release or parole sentences for children; 
Whereas 10 years ago the United States Supreme Court in 
Roper v. Simmons struck down the death penalty for 
children under 18 years of age; 
Whereas 5 years ago the United States Supreme Court in 
Graham v. Florida struck down the use of life without 
the possibility of release or parole sentences for non- 
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homicide crimes committed by children under 18 years of 
age; and 
Whereas 3 years ago the United States Supreme Court in 
Miller v. Alabama struck down the use of mandatory life 
without parole sentences and required sentencing bodies 
to consider the mitigating factors of youth anytime a 
child faces a potential life sentence: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) applauds and celebrates the anniversary of 
the decisions by the Roper, Graham, and Miller 
courts for striking down the death penalty and use 
of life without parole sentences for non-homicide of-
fenses and mandatory life without parole sentences 
for children in the United States; 
(2) applauds and celebrates the State of Texas, 
Nevada, Wyoming, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado, 
Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Delaware, Massachusetts, 
Vermont, Connecticut, West Virginia, California, 
Florida, and Washington for recent legislative 
changes that eliminated life without the possibility of 
release or parole sentences for children convicted of 
serious crimes in their jurisdictions; and 
(3) encourages other State legislatures to recog-
nize the differences between children and adult of-
fenders and eliminate extreme sentences, like life 
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without parole, for children convicted of serious 
crimes. 
Æ 
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