This bill amends New Jersey's three strikes law to ensure that it applies only to individuals over the age of 18. Specifically, it stipulates that prior convictions for serious crimes, which could lead to a life sentence without parole, will not include any crimes committed by a person while they were a juvenile. The bill reverses a recent New Jersey Supreme Court decision in *State v. Ryan*, which had determined that juvenile convictions could be considered as predicate offenses for the purpose of imposing life sentences under the three strikes law.

By excluding juvenile convictions from the three strikes law, the bill allows judges greater discretion in sentencing, enabling them to consider the age and individual circumstances of defendants. This change aims to prevent the imposition of life sentences without parole on individuals who committed crimes as minors, thereby aligning with constitutional protections against excessive punishment. The bill emphasizes the importance of assessing each case on its own merits rather than applying a strict sentencing guideline that could lead to disproportionate outcomes for young offenders.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:43-7.1