That is not to say that a 15, 16 or 17 year old does not know it is wrong to kill. However it does tells us that those same 15, 16 and 17 year  olds simply do not contemplate the idea of the extent of what punishment they may receive.  Life in prison without parole just doesn't sound the same to a teenager as it does to a career criminal.  So when a child commits a crime and it is their very first offense, should they not be given a chance to rehabilitate themselves rather than  spend the rest of their lives behind bars? The length of a life sentence to a 15 year old is actually more severe than a life sentence to a 30 or  40 year old second or third time offender simply by realizing the extended number of years they must serve.  We believe the laws in Colorado are open for change and we work dillegently to bring about those changes and give kids another opportunity  to benefit the community and those they have actually offended against.  Copyright © 2002-2013 PendulumFoundation.com. All rights reserved. Read our Terms of Use   A COMMUNITY OUTREACH ORGANIZATION Because everyone deserves a chance We at Pendulum Foundation believe in rehabilitation as well as retribution - and that all children deserve a second chance. To the right are the 5 cases highlighted on the PBS Frontline special, "WHEN KIDS GET LIFE" originally broadcast on May 8, 2007 Joan Ostrow The Denver Post "As she has done in several previous award-winning efforts, writer-director-producer Bikel tackles underlying social questions and psychological motivations as she explores a peculiar corner of American criminal justice. Her speciality (sic) has long been examinations of wrongful convictions. "'When Kids Get Life' joins the formidable Bikel archive, beseeching us to think hard about what constitutes justice." Read all the reviews Please read a Special Report from the Denver Post about a unbelievable miscarriage of justice. The story of Tim Masters will give you pause for thought. JACOB IND He killed his parents after years of  abuse, but even some of the jurors  who convicted him wonder if he  deserved life without parole.  TREVOR JONES Serving life without parole for a con  gone bad, Trevor Jones is an  example of the exacting logic of  Colorado's felony murder statute.  ANDREW MEDINA A player in a botched carjacking, he  was only 15 when he was charged  with first-degree murder and  imprisoned; now he's serving time at  Colorado's maximum-security facility. NATHAN YBANEZ(L) AND ERIK JENSEN Erik was there when Nate killed his  abusive mother. Nate says Erik didn't  do anything, but they're both serving  life without parole for her death.  Read the full Rolling Stone article about Nathan Ybanez
Jason Gonzales, 17
Leroy Gardenhire, 17
Marcus Clouatre, 17
Marcus Fernandez, 15
Phillip Trujillo, 15
Phillip Montoya, 16
Jerome Perea, 17
Jacob Ind, 15
Allan Lucero, 17
Gabriel Adams, 17
George Chavez, 15
Jeffrey Johnson, 17
Gregory Romero, 17
Raymond Gone, 16
Donell Carter, 17
Raymond Cain,17
Christopher Selectman, 16
Joseph Hunter, 17
Raymond Johnson, 16
Paul Littlejohn, 15
Roosevelt Harris, 15
Samuel Mandez, 14
Curtis Brooks, 15
Jennifer Tombs, 16
Trevor Jones, 17
Larry Lucas, 16
Kevin Blankenship, 16
Antonio Farrell, 17
Christopher Weedman, 17
Frank Vigil, 16
Terrance Wilder, 17
Erik Jensen, 17
Alexander Pogosyan, 17
Adam Drake, 17
Nathan Ybanez, 16
Columbus White, 17
Ahmad Nelms, 17
Lorenzo Montoya, 14
Nicholas Martinez, 16
Andrew Medina, 15
Miguel Trimble, 17
George Lo, 17
Josiah Ivy, 16
Verle Mangum, 17
Steven Anaya, 17


courtesy of DenverPost.com
Below are the five cases highlighted on “When Kids Get Life” FROM THE PBS SERIES FRONTLINE The Pendulum Foundation strives to ensure that juveniles caught in the legal system are treated AS juveniles. While it is true that some of these kids commit heinous and horrific crimes and like anyone, should be punished for their actions, in most cases it is believed that the juvenile brain is not developed sufficiently enough to allow a child to fully understand their actions.