Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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As many as 150 Iowa juveniles imprisoned for felony convictions including kidnapping and attempted murder will get their sentences shortened by years as a result of an Iowa Supreme Court decision released Friday.
The court ruled that juveniles convicted of forcible felonies who had been resentenced from mandatory minimum terms to sentences with a set period of years should be given credit for good behavior at a much faster pace.
The decision is tied to the 2014 court ruling in the case of Andre Lyle Jr. in which the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional mandatory minimum sentences for juveniles, following a similar ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012. The Iowa court's decision required juveniles to be resentenced to a specific period of time and made eligible for parole.
Prison officials continued to credit these juveniles for good behavior at the rate Iowa law specifies for forcible felonies with required minimum sentences. The law says people convicted of these crimes, which include attempted murder, second-degree kidnapping, robbery and vehicular homicide must serve at least 85 percent of their sentences after credited time for good behavior.
The court, however, said since they've struck down mandatory minimum sentences for juveniles they cannot be held to the same good behavior credit, instead they must be given an accelerate time off credit used for non-mandatory sentences which requires inmates to serve 45 percent of their sentence.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...s-prison-terms-many-juvenile-felons/94073044/
No celebrations?
The court ruled that juveniles convicted of forcible felonies who had been resentenced from mandatory minimum terms to sentences with a set period of years should be given credit for good behavior at a much faster pace.
The decision is tied to the 2014 court ruling in the case of Andre Lyle Jr. in which the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional mandatory minimum sentences for juveniles, following a similar ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012. The Iowa court's decision required juveniles to be resentenced to a specific period of time and made eligible for parole.
Prison officials continued to credit these juveniles for good behavior at the rate Iowa law specifies for forcible felonies with required minimum sentences. The law says people convicted of these crimes, which include attempted murder, second-degree kidnapping, robbery and vehicular homicide must serve at least 85 percent of their sentences after credited time for good behavior.
The court, however, said since they've struck down mandatory minimum sentences for juveniles they cannot be held to the same good behavior credit, instead they must be given an accelerate time off credit used for non-mandatory sentences which requires inmates to serve 45 percent of their sentence.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...s-prison-terms-many-juvenile-felons/94073044/
No celebrations?
