THESIS

The United States’ stance on the death penalty, specifically with regard to juvenile criminals, has largely reflected the history of the nation as a whole. Although the federal stance on the juvenile death penalty had largely maintained that the practice was constitutional, there was no national consensus. Evolving standards of decency in the late twentieth century and early twenty first century resulted in a barrier between states and the nation. The Supreme Court's choice to review the constitutionality of the death penalty for minors reflects the mitigation of this conflict and the establishment of a legal consensus on the matter.