The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution protects against “cruel and unusual punishment” for those convicted of crimes. But what makes a punishment cruel or unusual? Who decides, and how? This film answers those questions by exploring the origins and nature of the Eighth Amendment and tracing the concept of “evolving standards of decency” in the United States, specifically as it applies to the death penalty for juvenile offenders.
The Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Related Resources
- Lesson Plan: High School | Cruel and Unusual? Rethinking Juvenile Justice Through Constitutional Lenses of Fairness, Justice, and Evolving Perspectives
- Lesson Plan: High School | The 8th Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
- Lesson Plan: High School | Cruel and Unusual Punishment Lesson - Inquiry Design Model