Dozens of Illinois juvenile lifers receive new sentences

CHICAGO (AP) - About 35 of 80 Illinois inmates in who received mandatory life-without-parole sentences for crimes committed as juveniles have been resentenced since the Supreme Court ruled that punishment unconstitutional.

A small number of those prisoners have been released. Two others received natural life sentences in new hearings, but one had his punishment reduced to 60 years on appeal.

There also are some 20 inmates serving discretionary no-parole sentences for crimes committed while they were 17 or younger. One has an appeal pending before the Illinois Supreme Court, seeking the same resentencing that mandatory juvenile lifers receive.

In recent years, the age of juvenile court jurisdiction for most crimes has been raised to those 17 and younger. Also, there now are fewer crimes automatically transferred to adult court.