Life without parole: which countries still allow it

A life sentence does not mean the same thing in every country. In some it is a long but finite term, with a review at a fixed point. In others the court can order that the prisoner should never be released. This article explains where such sentences still exist, where they have been restricted, and why the law keeps changing.

What "without parole" means

Terms differ between legal systems, so it helps to separate three ideas:

• Life with a minimum term: the prisoner must serve a set period before release can be considered.
• Life without parole: the sentence carries no scheduled chance of release.
• Life with only a pardon or compassionate release: release is theoretically possible, but only through an executive decision, not a judicial review.

Comparisons only work if these categories are kept apart. A country may say it has "life imprisonment" while rarely or never releasing those serving it, and another may use the same words for a sentence that usually ends after about 15 years.

The United States

The United States is the best-known user of life without parole. The federal system and most states allow it, and it is a common sentence for the most serious offences, including murder.

The Supreme Court has set limits where children are concerned. In Graham v Florida (2010) it barred the sentence for under-18s convicted of offences other than homicide. In Miller v Alabama (2012) it ruled that mandatory life without parole for under-18s is unconstitutional, and it later applied that decision to older cases. In Jones v Mississippi (2021) it held that a judge with discretion may impose the sentence on a young offender without first making a separate finding that the person is permanently incorrigible. Rules for young offenders therefore still vary between states.

England and Wales

Courts in England and