Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/11pdf/10-9646.pdf
Page Number: 28.0

24 

MILLER v. ALABAMA 

Opinion of the Court 

kinds  of  homicide.    See  Dept.  of  Justice,  H.  Snyder  &  M. 
Sickmund, Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National 
Report  110–114  (hereinafter  2006  National  Report).    But 
most  States  do  not  have  separate  penalty  provisions  for 
those  juvenile  offenders.    Of  the  29  jurisdictions  mandat-
ing  life  without  parole  for  children,  more  than  half  do  so 
by  virtue  of  generally  applicable  penalty  provisions,  im-
posing the sentence without regard to age.13  And indeed, 
some of those States set no minimum age for who may be 
transferred to adult court in the first instance, thus apply-
ing  life-without-parole  mandates  to  children  of  any  age—
be  it  17  or  14  or  10  or  6.14    As  in  Graham,  we  think  that 
“underscores  that  the  statutory  eligibility  of  a  juvenile
offender  for  life  without  parole  does  not  indicate  that  the 
penalty  has  been  endorsed  through  deliberate,  express, 
and  full  legislative  consideration.”    560  U. S.,  at  ___  (slip 

—————— 

13 See  Ala.  Code  §§13A–5–45(f),  13A–6–2(c)  (2005  and  Cum.  Supp. 
2011); Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §13–752 (West 2010), §41–1604.09(I) (West
2011);  Conn.  Gen.  Stat.  §53a–35a(1)  (2011);  Del.  Code  Ann.,  Tit.  11,
§4209(a)  (2007);  Fla.  Stat.  §775.082(1)  (2010);  Haw.  Rev.  Stat.  §706–
656(1)  (1993);  Idaho  Code  §18–4004  (Lexis  2004);  Mich.  Comp.  Laws
Ann.  §791.234(6)(a)  (West  Cum.  Supp.  2012);  Minn.  Stat.  Ann.
§§609.106, subd. 2 (West 2009); Neb. Rev. Stat. §29–2522 (2008); N. H. 
Rev. Stat. Ann. §630:1–a (West 2007); 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§1102(a), (b),
61 Pa. Cons. Stat. §6137(a)(1) (Supp. 2012); S. D. Codified Laws §22-6-
1(1)  (2006),  §24–15–4  (2004);  Vt.  Stat.  Ann.,  Tit.  13,  §2311(c)(2009); 
Wash. Rev. Code §10.95.030(1) (2010). 

14 See Del. Code Ann., Tit. 10, §1010 (1999 and Cum. Supp. 2010), Tit. 
11,  §4209(a)  (2007);  Fla.  Stat.  §985.56  (2010),  775.082(1);  Haw.  Rev.
Stat.  §571–22(d)  (1993),  §706–656(1);  Idaho  Code  §§20–508,  20–509
(Lexis Cum. Supp. 2012), §18–4004; Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §712A.2d 
(West 2009), §791.234(6)(a); Neb. Rev. Stat. §§43–247, 29–2522 (2008);
42  Pa.  Cons.  Stat.  §6355(e)  (2000),  18  Pa.  Cons.  Stat.  §1102.    Other 
States  set  ages  between  8  and  10  as  the  minimum  for  transfer,  thus 
exposing  those  young  children  to  mandatory  life  without  parole.    See 
S. D.  Codified  Laws  §§26–8C–2,  26–11–4  (2004),  §22–6–1  (age  10);  Vt. 
Stat.  Ann.,  Tit.  33,  §5204  (2011  Cum.  Supp.),  Tit.  13,  §2311(a)  (2009)
(age  10);  Wash.  Rev.  Code  §§9A.04.050,  13.40.110  (2010),  §10.95.030 
(age 8).