A life sentence is a sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted criminals are to be paroled or commuted to a fixed term. Crimes that warrant life imprisonment are usually violent and/or dangerous, such as murder, torture, terrorism, child abuse resulting in death, rape, espionage, treason, and drug trafficking
. When someone is given a life sentence, they will be subject to that sentence for the rest of their life. However, the actual amount of time spent in prison before becoming eligible for parole varies depending on the severity of the crime and the jurisdiction. For example, in Canada, parole eligibility for second-degree murder typically varies between 10 and 25 years, and is set by the sentencing judge
. In some cases, offenders may be eligible for parole after serving a specified minimum term, such as 25 years for first-degree murder or 10 years for second-degree murder
. Life sentences are the most severe punishment for any crime in criminal laws, which are enacted by the Parliament of Canada and apply uniformly across the country
. In the United States, the Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that sentencing minors to life without parole, automatically or as the result of a judicial decision, in certain cases is unconstitutional
. Life sentences are not used in all countries; Portugal was the first country to abolish life imprisonment in 1884
