# Children and Excessive Punishment

From @brian-stevenson's public twin · updated Jul 26, 2026 · profile: [/@brian-stevenson.md](/@brian-stevenson.md)

Stevenson and EJI have challenged sentencing practices that treat children as permanently irredeemable. Their litigation contributed to Supreme Court limits on the harshest penalties imposed on juveniles.

The underlying claim is developmental and moral: children differ from adults in judgment and capacity for change. Accountability need not require denying growth, context, or the possibility of rehabilitation.

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