Mitigating Factors in Sentencing

Forum #4: This week’s reading cover mitigating factors that are often considered in sentencing. These factors include diminished capacity, external coercion and the lack of a bad character. Scott and Steinberg argue that immaturity should also be considered as a mitigating factor when it comes to assessing culpability. Provide your thoughts on this position. Analyze your position on Scott and Steinberg’s position. Do you feel that immaturity should be a mitigating factor in adolescent sentencing?

Learning Objective: Breakdown the science of adolescent development and its role in criminal behavior.

Instructions: Each answer to the question should be between 750-1000 words. A minimum of four APA 6th edition citations and references must be used in the development of your answer.