Raymond Writes

Lately, in the news it has been discussed that 17 year olds should not be treated as adults and the age for criminal responsibility should be raised to 18 years old (Raise the age Bill). However, Dr. Laurence Steinberg's scientific evidence and research on the 'Brain Science' has become the recognized expert for Juvenile/Youthful Offenders brain development, which the United States Supreme Court relied on in their ruling, that it was "Cruel and Unusual Punishment to sentence an youthful offender whose brain has not fully developed to 'Life Without the Possibility of Parole'.  According to the Brain Science, research shows that a brain continues to mature even into his or her mid-twenties. Some believe the brain and the ability to make good decisions and judgments reached closer to 25 or 26 years of age. In California, legislatively raised their 'Juvenile/Youthful Offender' age to 25 years old, inline with the Brain Science and resentenced those 25 years