Juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) is a sentence that places a child 17 years old or younger in prison for life without the possibility of parole. The United States stands alone as the only nation that sentences youth to life without parole for crimes committed before turning 18. However, the momentum to protect youth rights in the criminal legal system is growing.
As of 2024, twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia have banned JLWOP. In addition, nine more states do not have anyone serving life without parole for offenses committed before age 18, despite no formal legislation. At the start of 2020, 1,465 people were serving JLWOP sentences.