Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for your powerful presentation of 'When Kids Get Life'.I feel the pain of the injustice to the prisoners who were featured, especially those who want to die if they are not given a commuted sentence. I cannot imagine losing someone close by violent death, manslaughter or murder. If it were the case, I would hope I would be able to find compassion and reason along with feelings of raw hurt, loss and vengance. Please inform us if any featured 'lifers' find a more fitting justice. Thank you again.

Robert Pierson
Boston, MA

Dear FRONTLINE,

This story reminds me of a similar story you ran last year "Raising Cain", that dealt with issues regarding boys in educational and sociological settings. I would like to know the percentage of male vs female children, teenagers, that are sentenced to life without paroll in the United States. Of the 2200 children convicted I would "bet" 95% or more are male. As an educator I am deaply saddened by the treatment of children by the "justice system" in the United States.

jason collin
North Battleford, Canada

FRONTLINE's editors respond:

According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International's 2005 report on juvenile offenders serving life without parole, "All but a tiny fraction (2.6 percent) of the child offenders serving life without parole are male." Read the report via our Readings & Links page.

Dear FRONTLINE,

As a student of criminal justice at Northeastern University I studied many stories like these. I felt great hopelessness over the fact that politics often overshadowed real justice. Tough on crime slogans and the war on drugs fooled the public and fed on unrealistic fears. It seemed beyond my comprehension that the academic world knew the facts about ineffective sentencing, programming and philosophies, yet politicians made decisions on the laws of punishment. Knee jerk reactions would lead to laws that put more burden on our over crowded prison system. I feel for the victim's families in these cases, but I also think that life without parole for a juvenile is unwarranted in most circumstances. Although I am discouraged, I hope that people will continue to educate themselves and we can still make significant changes in our criminal justice system.

Lindsay Camire
Lewiston, Maine

Dear FRONTLINE,

these stories were extremely compelling and upsetting. not only am i shocked and disgusted by the lack of compassion and harshness from our own government, but i am embarrassed and ashamed to be living in a country that has such little regard for truly bringing justice and rehabilitation to it's citizens. the most inspiring and truthful line in this entire documentary to me was "vengeance is not justice, vengeance is vengeance." amen. i can only hope that some of these cases will be reconsidered and that true justice will one day be served. thanks so much for bringing these stories to the masses.

knoxville, TN

Dear FRONTLINE,

I sat numb listening then was drowning in tears, remembering. Seems the 5pm hour was the deadline for many of us as children, the terror, the waiting, the anticipation of the evening coming. Never going to bed without listening acutely, I still listen for cues, always alert, always ready. Still can't stand the smell of Scotch, the rolling unfocused eyes of a drunk, the weakness of a woman who stayed instead of getting out, anyway with us...and knowing that she had no options other than menial work she would never accept. He died in 1973, she died in 2006, but we died years ago, before we ever had a chance to live. I do not know how one outgrows abuse or pain that Jacob, Nathan and so many of us have suffered by parents. It recedes, but it remains imprinted on every cell of our being, affects every day. The question must be asked who is responsible for allowing parents to do such damage with impunity; is it religion, morality, ethics, legality or a complete lack of humanity.

Rachel
Brooklyn, New York

Dear FRONTLINE,

The documentary was very informative, as a young adult who comes from another country I was really moved by it. it is very determining to try to get our young people to understand how the system is set up for juvenile offenders. It is just too bad that this information is not really getting to where it needs to get, I cant wait until the program is broadcast online so that I can tell my friends to watch it and pass the word around. This is very valuable information.

Daniel Grueso
Hyattsville, Maryland

Dear FRONTLINE,

Week after week of fantastic documentaries from Frontline. This week's documentary on children who get life without parole is among the best I have seen.

Keep up the great work!

Jersey City, NJ

Dear FRONTLINE,

Maybe the present mood I find myself in has some bearing on how I feel about this but when I was 15, 16, and 17 years old I was well aware of what it meant to commit murder. These offenders, though young, made choices that resulted in someone else losing their life. That victim can't see their families or even exist in the world to continue with life. Why should I feel badly for these offenders?!!

Baltimore, Maryland

Dear FRONTLINE,

Keep up the good work in making us aware of chidren and the US justice system. Frontline is on my priority list for watching.I would love to know about upcoming programs so I can share information with my family and friends.

Watertown, WI

FRONTLINE's editors respond:

You will be able to watch this program again on our Web site later this week, along with other past reports. Our next new episode is "Spying on the Homefront" premiering May 15.

Dear FRONTLINE,

I listened to the broadcast intently. PBS really provided very limited details about the facts of each case. Most of the broadcast was biased against the laws as they exist in CO. I felt much more sorry for the victim's families than for the murderers that are now going to serve out the full measure of punishment for their crimes.

Ripley, MS

Dear FRONTLINE,

Hi. My husband and I just finished watching the program and were absolutely appalled at the sentencings of the majority of the young men, but in particular Erik Jensen. Is there any way to find out more information about how we can support his appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court? Thanks in advance and thank you for such an eye opening documentary.

Andrea Cleland
Brooklyn, NY

FRONTLINE's editors respond:

Read about Erik Jensen's foundation and the group started by his parents at our links page.

Dear FRONTLINE,

I work in the Mental Health Substance Abuse field for children and adolescents. My question is that most of the children that end up resorting to violence have live through conditions that we cannot imagine. Sexual, Physical abuse and neglect. Why is the state not there to protect them when this is happening and waits until out of desperation they strike out then the state wants to put them away for life. This is a travesity of justice. These are children.

Sharon Johnson
Chatsworth, GA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I believe juveniles who commit crimes should be tried as adults, particularly if they are 14 or over. After all, in the case of serious crimes, the victims are just as wounded or dead as if they had been attacked by adults.

I also believe the parents of young criminals should share in the punishment. Yes, I said punishment. If a convict rehabilitates during their sentence, OK, but we need to quit being politically correct and pretending prison is NOT punishment.

The estimated 4% of our population who are sociopaths should be locked up permanently when they first seriously demonstrate their lack of essential human conscience.

All inmates should be made to pay their own way by working in the prison. That would help eliminate the impression that prison is a life without responsibilities and would help ease the financial burden on us taxpayers to keep the facilities maintained and the inmates fed and clothed.

Broken Arrow, OK

Dear FRONTLINE,

I believe it is wrong to sentence children under the age of 18 to life without parole. I am shocked that I reside in a state that has sentenced so many children to life without parole. I certainly do not understand that children being abused by parents should be further penalized for protecting themselves mentally and physically from years of abusive. Haven't they suffered enough! Where were we to help these children, then and now who are abused by parents? I do not think children should be tried as adults ever. Any person who understands the development of the human brain as well as the development a boy's brain versus a girl's brain....(and there are plenty of studies and articles available to educate the population) would realized they are children and the brain is still learning and developing. Give them a break!

bloomfield hills, mi