In the United States, youth convicted of certain crimes can be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Other teens are given de facto life sentences. They have the "possibility of parole" after serving an excessive amount of time behind bars.

​

Joshua Lee Wade is one such teen. He was sentenced to 56 years to life for a crime he committed when he was 16 years old. Telling a child that he or she is incapable of rehabilitation is not only contrary to neuroscientific findings about the teenage brain; it also constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. 

 

Thanks to SB 256, a law that was passed in Ohio in 2021, Joshua is eligible for parole review in 2030, after serving 25 years in prison.