An article first published on July 31, 2017 by the Associated Press has sparked national and local attention. Since then the Statesman Journal (along with various other news outlets) has published six related articles regarding juvenile life without parole issues, including an article featured on the front page of their print newspaper on August 1, 2017. This is a call to action to use the momentum from this media coverage to write your state senators and representatives who work on state laws with the following message:
I recently read one of the many Associated Press articles printed in the Statesman Journal (http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/crime/2017/07/31/ap-investigation-patchwork-justice-juvenile-lifers/523531001/) regarding juvenile lifers and was blown away to see that Oregon is so far behind the rest of the nation. If the United States Supreme Court has recognized the lessened culpability of youthful offenders, why has our state been so slow to respond?
As an active citizen and voter, I am requesting that you go to work on making sure Oregon is not behind the rest of the nation when it comes to giving reformed adults meaningful opportunities for release from prison for crimes they committed as juveniles. Please pay attention to this issue and do what you can.
Thank you,
(YOUR NAME)
Feel free to modify this in your own words and email, type and mail it, hand write a letter and mail it, or even call and speak to someone, leave a voicemail, or better yet, visit their offices in person if you have the time. Either way, we ask that you send this important message whichever way is most convenient for you. Let your voice be heard!
To find contact information for the legislators who represents you to send this letter to, CLICK HERE . . . and to get you started, here is Governor Kate Brown’s contact information.
Also, here are the articles for your reference…
ASSOCIATED PRESS:
7/31/2017: AP Exclusive: Parole for young lifers inconsistent across US
8/2/2017: High court juvenile lifer ban spurs wider review of cases
STATESMAN JOURNAL:
8/2/2017: Juvenile Life Ruling Affects Some With Parole Option
8/1/2017: After Life Without Parole: 2 Held for Decades Savor Freedom
7/31/2017: Supreme Court Rulings Reshape Penalities for Young Offenders
7/31/2017: A Victim, A Lawmaker, A Judge: Voices in Juvie Reform Debate
7/31/2017: Q&A: A Look at Action Around Tough Sentencing of Juveniles
7/31/2017: A State-by-State Look at Juvenile Life Without Parole