Dear FRONTLINE,

Having experienced teen murder first hand, I can tell you that while you can question teen judgement - it would be naive to state that teens do not have the cognitive capability to plan/understand their actions.

My opinion, cut and dry, take a life and you should be sent away for life. Yes it is unfortunate, I feel for the parents of the murderers - but not for their explanations of why it is unjust. Horrible circumstances, but their teens - not a child and they killed somone ... they are in jail for taking a life. Fair Deal.

Littleton, CO

Dear FRONTLINE,

I would think that most of these young criminals did not have a solid family structure growing up. Does some blame lie on the parents of these murders? I don't know which is correct, the harsh sentences in the U.S or the re-offenders that we have here in Canada. I don't think there is an easy solution and I cannot judge others unless I have walked in their shoes. I can only imagine how difficult it would be too lose a loved one to a senceless act of violence. I'm sure that revenge would cross my mind in that situation.

J Brinker
Edmonton, Alberta

Dear FRONTLINE,

I watched this program in a JUvenile Detention Center where I work, and have worked with Juvenile and adult offenders since 1965. I cannot believe there has been no uproar over the US's blatant ignoring of the treay we signed not to sentence Juveniles to life without parole. I have worked in adult prisons with "cold-blooded killers" who nevertheless became rehabilitated enough to win parole. Two of the most notorious murderers in US history, {Nathan] Leopold and {Richard] Loeb, were nonetheless eligible for parole. Loeb was murdered in prison, but Leopold made parole after 25 or 30 years, and devoted the rest of his life to helping released convicts and other acts of compassion. nobody is beyond redemption. Our society is driven by vengeance, not justice or compassion.

Larry Hagen
Chicago, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

The presentation was sad to watch; my heart goes out to all of the families involved. There are no winners here. While I think I can understand the pain of the families of the victims, I also feel sorry for the families of the convicted. One person kills another and society responds by taking away the future life prospects of the young perpetrator responsible. There may be some measure of justice in this, but the punishment melted out seems to make justice rendered cruel, harsh, and unfeeling.

windsor, ct

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was shocked and outraged by the slanted and partial content of When Kids Get Life. At least the families of the murderers can see and hear the voice of their loved ones; we who must live every day with the loss and heartbreak caused by these murderers can only hold tight to the last conversation and try to remember a smile or a gentle touch. Our dear ones were ripped from us by these killers and their total disregard for human life. The only justice is my sister here with her family and because that is not possible, then the person who with malice murdered her will spend the rest of his existence knowing he is in prison because he murdered a beautiful & vibrant human being. I pose a question to your experts; what would their position be if the murder victims was their daughter, son, father, mother, brother or sister? Discussing in abstract is easy and without consequences. Victims cannot speak on their behalf and the families suffer through a criminal justice system that protects the killer while they sit in silent agony as the details of their loved ones murder is presented in court...enough. And finally, what is the difference in carnage and damage committed by a 17 year old versus that of a 18 year old? Months?

I don't anticipate that this opinion will be aired.

minneapolis, MN

Dear FRONTLINE,

Dear Frontline:You really missed the point with your story "When Kids Get Life". Your most important word, and the most emotionally loaded word, in your show's title is "kids". It should have been the focus of the entire story - at what point does the focus move from "kid" to "responsible" ? Certainly all these stories are all sad. Certainly, citizens would rather spend their tax dollars, not on paying for life imprisonment, but on acting to prevent these killings through counseling or some other action before anyone has died. Certainly it is a waste of two lives. To be balanced, your closing scene should not have shown just the inmates with the caption "they got life", but also should have shown the graves of the victims with the caption "they got life too". That is the real dilemma.But when prevention doesn't happen, at what point should people hold other people who kill responsible? Should young people who kill get off lightly because they are in abusive family relationships, associate with troublemakers, are out trying to buy guns, or because like the insane, are not accountable because of mental defect, or, perhaps, just because they are "kids" in a society that values children more than adults? Just when and how does responsibility kick in? Responsibility is the only factor that can parse these circumstances. The responsibility debate should have been Frontline's focus. The emotions in these situations are just too easy a target, as in much of news reporting, and, though sad for all, there is no news story there. Frontline should be better than what passes elsewhere today for journalism. Frontline has an obligation to dig into the "why" of these things, get some answers and not just pass on the results. Answers and results are not the same. We are no better off with just the latter. Try again Frontline.

Jeff Zabler
Bluffton, SC

Dear FRONTLINE,

All of the offenders were old enough to know their actions were wrong. They were old enough to kill, therefore old enough be held responsible. Everyone knows this by the third grade. Their victims were deprived of life and so they should be also. I think they should be required to pay for their upkeep by doing some useful work. If they want to take their own lives, as one indicated, Let'em.

Jim Pennington
El Dorado, KS

Dear FRONTLINE,

One of the most significant parts of this program I did not see mentioned in some of the feedback that I reviewed before making my comments. If the State, in this specific case Colorado, does recognize the differing capabilities of teenagers with respect to driving a car, then why in the case of a heinious act, i.e, some action that results in the loss of a life (accidental, reactions ...), why are not the same measures used to recognize the obvious and clinically validated limitations of teenage cognition in both?

I find it increasingly painful, as a Christian, that vengence is supported by the rule of law. Jesus did not admonish his followers to visit those in prison because he was a proponent of vengence, of locking up anyone -- and believe especially the youth. Jesus taught redemption: we all fail to be perfect in the eyes of God; he came as a perfect sacrifice to redeem us all. We all needed a savior. Some of us more than others. Irrespective of religious beliefs we are all diminished by vengence and hate and a lack of forgiveness. I am personally saddened that the State of Florida is among the top in terms of numbers of convicted young people who will always be a burden to the state and will never have any hope of Deliverance upon payment.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Dear FRONTLINE,

Although on a daily basis, I am in favor of treating juveniles as juveniles and not as adults, I still have to question how I would feel about the 2 boys of Columbine had they lived...I certainly would not have been in favor of giving those 2 boys any other chances. Yet, in most cases, I feel that children are not capable of making adult decisions and therefore should not be treated as adults.

Steamboat Springs, CO

Dear FRONTLINE,

I had always been under the impression that the U.S. judicial system was lenient in comparison with those of other nations. This program absolutely floored me. I cried through the last twenty minutes or so, and long afterward.

I can't believe that our legislators could pass laws allowing the indefinite imprisonment of teenagers--with no regard for their wellbeing, or chance at rehabilitation.

Any physician or psychologist can verify that the frontal cortex of the brain--the seat of planning and judgment--isn't fully-developed until the late teens to early twenties. Yet our nation takes these developing children, and gives them the harshest possible adult sentences--regardless of the circumstances behind the actions.

That is not justice; that's politics. And it's one of the most disgusting things I've seen in my life.

Leslie Fox
Bedford, NH

Dear FRONTLINE,

The crime in America is that prosecutors are rewarded for convictions, not justice. When I heard, in "When Kids Get Life," about he cold cynicism of offering immunity to two children for testifying against a third child is to my mind a crime against humanity. Those who would mock the truth to obtain convictions are criminals more vile than many of those they prosecute.

Flemington, NJ

Dear FRONTLINE,

With politics aside, I thought there was a severe imbalance in the stories. One hispanic youth? I work with runaway, homeless, and delinquient kids, and I can say that most of these individuals are victims of severe abuse and neglect at home. I found it interesting that no African American gang involved youth were presented. I can only assume that it was by choice, because it would not have played to the sympathy of our racist society. Overall I was somewhat disappointed with the films overall approach. It left too many holes to be attacked, as we have seen by the other messages. Last point; some youth / inmates are beyond rehibilitation, most are not. I think it is time to reaccess our nations comittment to compassion and justice. I feel It may be a more interesting to discuss the profitablity of the prison system in the United States, and how that influences laws and criminal punishments.

T Salter
Madison, WI

FRONTLINE's editors respond:

FRONTLINE asked producer Ofra Bikel about the issues of race and class in this report. You can read her reply here.

Dear FRONTLINE,

Can anyone explain why does the DA's office and the entire legal system waits until these teens commit a crime and then expedite their imprisonment? What happened to prevention? Were they just as concerned when these teens were being abused? It does appear that they are politically motivated to prosecute these crimes.

Wayman Harris
Rochester , New York

Dear FRONTLINE,

The stories you presented certainly are tragedies. As in any justice system there are cracks. Thank you for pointing out these.

I know your air time is limited, but to be fair, you should have reported on one or two examples from the other end of the spectrum,. You should have then made some kind of statistical case for the separation of the 2,225 indicating their tend toward which end of the spectrum they populated.

Moline, IL

Dear FRONTLINE,

After watching your program I was amazed at what we as humans can do to one another. I feel sorry for the victims and their families. They in no way asked to be a part of such horrific actions by these young men. I also empathsize with the young men who have to pay such a high price for their mistakes. I think Colorado needs to reevaluate what they do to such young persons. These men now have remorse for what they have done and need to be given a chance to demonstrate what they would have become had they not made their mistake.

We as a nation have to continue to explore why these young men do such terrible acts. Abused humans are wounded if they do not receive help (psycological, emotional, etc). As an educator I see students have the propensity of hurting themselves and others at a very young age. Yet, in many schools there is only one counselor dealing with numerous caseloads of children needing help. I hope we wake up and realized that we are being hypocritical when we say this is fair. Giving children life without parole is not just or humane. Right, it is no better than the actions done by these children.

Henry Lopez
Houston, TX