The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is celebrating five years of progress in the effort to implement age-appropriate accountability measures in place of life without parole and other extreme sentences for children.

This week, we will feature five stories about people whose lives have been changed by life without parole for children.

Ralph Brazel and Esi Mathis

Ralph was given three life-without-parole sentences at 17. Esi, his mother, is an advocate for sentencing reform.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preston Shipp
Former prosecutor whose perspective on sentencing changed after he got to know young people sentenced to die in prison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xavier McElrath-Bey
Sentenced to prison at 13 after he was involved in a gang-related murder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cindy Sanford
Cindy’s perspective on life without parole for children changed when she encountered a young man serving the sentence. She now considers him her son.