Appellate court review of juvenile death penalty cases

This dissertation is an empirical study of juvenile death penalty cases from 1974 through 1991. Data analyzed are drawn from published appellate court opinions in 91 identified instances where juveniles (offenders under 18 years old at the time of the crime) were sentenced to death, Topics examined are: the historical background of capital punishment for juveniles; recent developments in U.S. constitutional law; the standards, obligations, and limits of appellate review at state and federal levels; analytic approaches utilized by reviewing courts; and the discretionary authority exercised by sentencers, defense counsel, and prosecutors in the criminal justice process. In addition, a mitigating circumstances profile is compiled for each juvenile. The emerging patterns in appellate review provide a detailed picture of recent national experience with this ultimate punishment for juvenile offenders.