SPRINGFIELD, ILL. (AP) -- A new study finds that more than 100 people who committed crimes as youths are serving life sentences in Illinois with no possibility of parole.
Of the 103 youth offenders, 72 are black and 10 are Hispanic.
The Illinois Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Children is urging lawmakers to require parole hearings for minors after 15 years and to make the change apply to youths already behind bars.
Northwestern University law professor Simmie Baer says the high number of minority offenders probably has more to do with poverty than race alone.
But critics warn that changing the law would force victims' families to attend annual parole hearings for the rest of their lives.
And they say life-without-parole is generally reserved for only the worst crimes.
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