Researchers sent a survey about their childhoods to 2,309 inmates serving life without parole sentences for crimes they committed as juveniles. The Sentencing Project received 1,579 responses, and the findings suggested high rates of exposure to violence:
Many of the inmates were first victims of domestic and sexual violence prior to committing crimes
79 percent of the respondents witnessed violence at home
50 percent experienced physical abuse
77 percent of female inmates reported being sexually abused
54 of the juvenile lifers witnessed acts of violence on at least a weekly basis
Based on the statistics, the report states that these juvenile lifers were exposed to violence, which in turn influenced their decisions to commit serious crimes.