To authorize the court to depart from a statutory minimum in the case of a juvenile offender, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-hr-1949
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]
Introduced: 2019-03-28
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing

Detention of persons

Juvenile crime and gang violence

U.S. Sentencing Commission
Latest action: action_date: 2019-05-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-03-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill addresses the sentencing of juvenile offenders.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires courts to consider the diminished culpability of juveniles compared to that of adults when sentencing juvenile offenders. It allows courts to impose a sentence below the mandatory minimum by up to 35% to reflect the juvenile's age and prospect for rehabilitation.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1949 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 28, 2019 Mr. Westerman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To authorize the court to depart from a statutory minimum in the case of a juvenile offender, and for other purposes.

1. Sentencing juvenile offenders (a) In general Section 3553 of chapter 227 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (6), by striking and at the end; (B) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (8) in the case of a juvenile (as such term is defined in section 5031), the diminished culpability of juveniles compared to that of adults. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (h) Limitation on statutory minimum for juvenile offenders In the case of a juvenile (as such term is defined in section 5031), the court shall have the authority to impose a sentence that is 35 percent below a level established by statute as a minimum sentence so as to reflect the juvenile’s age and prospect for rehabilitation. . (b) Application The amendments made by this section shall apply only to a conviction entered on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 2. Directive to the Sentencing Commission Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall review and amend, if appropriate, its guidelines and its policy statements with respect to juveniles to ensure that the guidelines and policy statements are consistent with the amendments made by section 2.