Deck 5: The Death Penalty for Juveniles

Question 1

In the United States, the first recorded execution of a juvenile occurred in:

A) Fall River, Massachusetts
B) Newton, Massachusetts
C) Plymouth, Massachusetts
D) Watertown, Massachusetts

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to the text, the interpretation of evolving standards for conservatives is based on:

A) Objective factors such as acts of state legislatures and sentencing practices of juries
B) Sentencing practices
C) Social purposes of the death penalty
D) All of the above

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The interpretation of evolving standards for liberals is based on:

A) Acts of state legislatures
B) Objective factors and social purposes of the death penalty
C) Social purposes
D) Sentencing practices

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In Thompson v. Oklahoma, the Court held that:

A) The execution of juveniles ages 15 and younger is constitutional
B) The execution of juveniles ages 14 through 17 does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment
C) The execution of juveniles who committed the crime at age 16 and 17 constitutes cruel and unusual punishment
D) None of the above

Question 5

The Court's interpretation of evolving standards of decency in the Thompson case relied on:

A) Jury determinations in the past
B) Legislative enactments
C) Explaining why a juvenile is not capable of acting with the degree of culpability that can justify the ultimate penalty
D) All of the above

Question 6

In Stanford v. Kentucky, the Court held that:

A) Executing juveniles ages 14 and younger is constitutional
B) Executing juveniles ages 17 and younger is unconstitutional
C) Executing juveniles ages 16 and 17 is constitutional
D) None of the above

Question 7

In Roper v. Simmons, the defendant was being charged with:

A) Burglary and stealing
B) Kidnapping
C) First-degree murder
D) All of the above.

Question 8

The Simmons case held that:

A) Juveniles age 14 through 16 could receive the death penalty
B) Offenders 18 and younger were prohibited from being executed
C) Offenders 18 and younger could receive the death penalty
D) None of the above

Question 9

The majority opinion listed three significant differences between adults and juveniles. They were:

A) Juveniles are more vulnerable to peer pressure
B) Juveniles have less developed personality traits
C) Juveniles lack the intellectual and emotional maturity of adults
D) All of the above

Question 10

What is "hot cognition"?

A) The notion that juveniles are more likely to exercise poor judgment as a result of peer pressure or when facing stressful situations
B) Neuroscience research on brain imaging on youths
C) The notion that adolescents' intelligence and ability to reason is similar to that of adults by the age of 16
D) Both a and c, but not b

Question 11

What is referred to as "cold cognition"?

A) The notion that juveniles are more likely to exercise poor judgment as a result of peer pressure or when facing stressful situations
B) The notion that adolescents' intelligence and ability to reason is similar to that of adults by the age of 16
C) Both a and b
D) None of the above

Question 12

According to the text, the Court's debate about what constitutes evolving standards can be discussed on a two-part analysis. The first part is trends in state legislation and sentencing practices of juries. The second part is:

A) Social purposes
B) Penal goals
C) Measures of proportionality
D) All of the above

Question 13

The United States Supreme Court has always interpreted what Amendment in accordance to the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society?

A) 14^th Amendment
B) 8^th Amendment
C) 6^th Amendment
D) 13^th Amendment

Question 14

In ___________ the Court took up the issue of whether it is constitutional to sentence juveniles who commit nonhomicide offenses to life sentences without the possibility of parole.

A) Coker v. Georgia (1977)
B) Lauren v. Graham (2010)
C) Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
D) Graham v. Florida (2010)

Question 15

The Court in Miller v. Alabama (2012) __________ the holding of the Court in Graham v. Florida (2010).

A) ignored
B) narrowed
C) expanded
D) repealed

Question 16

In Thompson v. Oklahoma, the Court held that it was unconstitutional to execute juveniles who were age 16 and younger.

Question 17

In Thompson, the Court concluded that both adults and juveniles have the same rights.

Question 18

States have the power to set their own minimum age for being able to impose the death penalty on juveniles.

Question 19

In states that had no minimum age for execution, both the judges and prosecutors were required to certify juveniles in order for them to be eligible for the death penalty.

Question 20

Only six states had raised their statutory age between the time of Stanford and Simmons, and consistency and direction of change of state legislation was the most critical factor.

Question 21

Atkins v. Virginia helped the Court decide the issue in Thompson v. Oklahoma.

Question 22

In the Atkins case, the Court took into account opinions of the professional, social, religious, and international communities on the execution of mentally retarded defendants.

Question 23

The Thompson Court declared that the execution of juveniles ages 16 or 17 at the time of the crime was constitutional.

Question 24

The Roper v. Simmons Court found that most foreign nations viewed the death penalty for juveniles to be a form of disproportionate punishment so the practice of executing juveniles should be abolished.

Question 25

All countries worldwide oppose a juvenile receiving the death penalty.

Question 26

The Court in Roper v. Simmons held that is cruel and unusual punishment to execute an offender before the age of 18.

Question 27

One of the reasons Justice O'Conner said the majority was wrong in Roper v. Simmons was for not presenting clear evidence demonstrating that juveniles are incapable to committing crimes as equally as adults.

Question 28

The U.S. Supreme Court has acknowledged that what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment is not static and must be reevaluated according to society's changing views.

Question 29

Research shows that juveniles are much more likely to exercise poor judgment as a result of peer pressure or when facing stressful situations.

Question 30

In Roper v. Simmons, the offender was charged with manslaughter and kidnapping.