Question 1

What was the significance of the Supreme Court's ruling in Thompson v. Oklahoma?&#10;A) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses.&#10;B) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 18 years old.&#10;C) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses other than murder.&#10;D) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 16 years old.

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

What was the significance of the Supreme Court's ruling in Roper v. Simmons?&#10;A) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses.&#10;B) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 18 years old.&#10;C) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses other than murder.&#10;D) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 16 years old.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's ruling in Roper v. Simmons (2005) held that it is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty for crimes committed by individuals under the age of 18, establishing the minimum age for the death penalty at 18 years old.

Question 3

What was the significance of the Supreme Court's ruling in Graham v. Florida?&#10;A) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses.&#10;B) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 18 years old.&#10;C) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses other than murder.&#10;D) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 16 years old.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's ruling in Graham v. Florida held that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for non-homicide offenses, recognizing the need for a chance of rehabilitation.

Question 4

What was the significance of the Supreme Court's ruling in Miller v. Alabama?&#10;A) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses.&#10;B) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 18 years old.&#10;C) It established that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is unconstitutional for all offenses other than murder.&#10;D) It established the minimum age for the death penalty at 16 years old.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's ruling in Miller v. Alabama held that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional, emphasizing the need for individualized sentencing considerations for juvenile offenders.

Question 5

Which justice was part of a dissenting option in all four major cases (Thompson, Roper, Graham, and Miller) relating to capital punishment and life-without-parole sentences for juveniles?&#10;A) Justice Kennedy.&#10;B) Justice O'Connor.&#10;C) Justice Scalia.&#10;D) Justice Roberts.

Accepted Answer

Justice Scalia was known for his conservative views and often dissented in cases that expanded rights for juveniles in the context of capital punishment and life-without-parole sentences.

Question 6

Regarding the use of capital punishment and life-without-parole sentences for juveniles, which of the following was used by the Supreme Court to determine how decency standards had evolved in the United States?

A) Legislative enactments.
B) Public opinion polls.
C) The number of people charged with murder in the United States.
D) A panel of prosecutors and defense attorneys.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court often looks at legislative enactments to determine evolving standards of decency, as they reflect the moral and ethical standards of society.

Question 7

The concept of &#34;evolving standards of decency&#34; originated in which case?&#10;A) Graham v. Florida.&#10;B) Gregg v. Georgia.&#10;C) Trop v. Dulles.&#10;D) Roper v. Simmons.

Accepted Answer

The concept of "evolving standards of decency" originated in the case Trop v. Dulles, where the U.S. Supreme Court used this phrase to interpret the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

Question 8

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution did the Supreme Court consider in Thompson v. Oklahoma and Roper v. Simmons?&#10;A) The Fourth Amendment.&#10;B) The Fifth Amendment.&#10;C) The Eighth Amendment.&#10;D) The Tenth Amendment.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court considered the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, in both Thompson v. Oklahoma and Roper v. Simmons, as these cases dealt with the constitutionality of executing minors.

Question 9

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution did the Supreme Court consider in Graham v. Florida and Miller v. Alabama?&#10;A) The Fourth Amendment.&#10;B) The Fifth Amendment.&#10;C) The Eighth Amendment.&#10;D) The Tenth Amendment.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court considered the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, in both Graham v. Florida and Miller v. Alabama.

Question 10

Which issue was addressed first by the U.S. Supreme Court?&#10;A) Life-without-parole sentences for juvenile offenders.&#10;B) Capital punishment for juvenile offenders.&#10;C) Transferring juvenile offenders to adult courts.&#10;D) The issues above were all considered by the Supreme Court at the same time.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court first addressed the issue of capital punishment for juvenile offenders in the case of Roper v. Simmons in 2005, ruling that it is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty for crimes committed by individuals under 18.

Deck 14: Juvenile Life Without Parole and the Juvenile Death Penalty: Taylor Brickley Katherine Bennett