The Appropriate Age for Capital Punishment
Presenter
Hailey Gilligan
Document Type
Creative Exhibit
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
This project explored if there is an appropriate age for a capital punishment sentence. For over 150 years, capital punishment in America has been a controversial discussion topic, especially when regarding juveniles. Many experts in varying fields of study illustrate that the cognitive abilities and emotional maturity of individuals under 21 may not be fully developed. This seriously impacts their decision-making and sense of accountability. Interviews with minors sentenced to capital crimes and legal professionals offer different perspectives on the justice system and the possibility of reform. The project questioned the fairness and morality of such punishments through documentary filmmaking. The film presented and analyzed the 8th Amendment's cruel and unusual punishment clause, as well as landmark Supreme Court cases related to capital punishment. It also offered statistics and past studies as examples to highlight developmental science, which shows that the brain continues to mature well into a person's early twenties. This is a major part of the discussion about raising the minimum age for capital punishment to 21. Ultimately, the documentary advocates for a more humane and scientifically supported approach to sentencing, one more reflective of our evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.
Faculty Mentor
Colleen Less, J.D.
Academic Discipline
College of Arts & Sciences
Repository Citation
Gilligan, Hailey, "The Appropriate Age for Capital Punishment" (2025). Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium. 256.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/innov_symposium/256
