Meet The Juvenile Lifers

Earl Young and Calvin McNeill went to prison determined to win parole. They have spent a combined 72 years behind bars.




EARL YOUNG

By DELON THORNTON


Earl Young was released in July. Producer DeLon Thornton arranged for Young to tell his story to "PBS NewsHour" correspondent John Yang. Thornton shares more of Young’s story. Additional filming by Jamal Williams.



On finally being free:




On the remnants of institutionalization:




On the changes in the world since being incarcerated:





CALVIN MCNEILL

By JAMIE KERNER


Calvin McNeill was 17 when was convicted of first-degree murder in 1981. His sentence was life with the possibility of parole. But when a supposedly "model prisoner" on work release murdered his former girlfriend and committed suicide, Maryland withdrew consideration of parole. No juveniles sentenced with life would be paroled for nearly twenty-five years. 

McNeill has not had a single infraction in more than a quarter of a century and has earned numerous commendations from prison staff. Maryland authorities would not allow a taped interview in the prison. He spoke with "PBS NewsHour" correspondent John Yang by phone.






READ MORE: The Glendening Effect


READ MORE: The Victims’ Side





About This Project


This work is a collaboration among the University of Maryland's Howard Center for Investigative Journalism and Capital News Service and the PBS NewsHour.




Credits


Web design and development: Camila Velloso

Reporting and writing: Athiyah Azeem, Victoria Daniels, Hannah Gaskill, Dominique Janifer, Lynsey Jeffery, Jamie Kerner, Lauren Perry, Sara Salimi, Delon Thornton, Emily Top and Camila Velloso

Data analysis: Riin Aljas, Hannah Gaskill and Camila Velloso

Video: Athiyah Azeem, Hannah Gaskill, Dominique Janifer, Lynsey Jeffery, Jamie Kerner, Lauren Perry, Sara Salimi, Delon Thornton, Emily Top and Camila Velloso

Graphics: Hannah Gaskill, Ally Tobler and Camila Velloso

Project editors: Kathy Best, Tom Bettag, Karen Denny, Marty Kaiser, Adam Marton and Sean Mussenden

Audience engagement: Alex Pyles

Top photo: Courtesy of Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services


Funders


Support for this project comes from generous grants from the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism.