Not so long ago, it was commonplace for states to require juveniles convicted of

homicide to serve sentences of over fifty years. Now, that practice has vanished. A review

of sentencing statutes enacted by state legislatures and court decisions shows that there is

now only one state where juvenile offenders face a mandatory non-aggregated sentence of

more than 50 years for first-degree murder with no aggravating factors—Tennessee. In the

entirety of the nation, Tennessee stands alone.