Life Without Parole

To me life without parole is a death penalty. In many cases the person is a first offender who screwed up royally. These are

not always hardened criminals who will never change and re-offend if they are let out of prison.

I do agree with a life sentence for violent crimes. First degree murder, armed robbery, attempted first degree murder, rape, child molestation and crimes where the perpetrator was violent. It should not only depend on the crime but also the criminal. If the criminal deemed a danger to society then life with parole should be the sentence. The minimums should vary by with the crime but should also be based on the convicted person’s actions.

The parole board should be made up of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, social workers and others who know how to read people. Today’s parole boards let out too many people who should not be let out. Too many criminals are freed at the end of their sentences with no preparation for life on the outside. The use of halfway houses is needed to help them return to society.

Rehabilitation is needed. These people need education and job training. Today those that make it on the outside do it because of what is in their minds. The system did not rehabilitate them, they rehabilitated themselves. Rehabilitation may be expensive but I am sure that it will save more money than it costs. If the convict gets out and goes back to crime you have the cost of the crimes and the cost of re-incarceration.

The sentencing of youthful offenders to life without parole is the most asinine thing there is except for the death sentence for youthful offenders. I have heard people say that by the age of five a child’s personality is molded for life. Others say a higher age. I have been studying people for 50 years. Not in the classroom or the labs but in real life. Most scientific studies do not take into account that we are all human, equal and different. You can not tell how a person is going to turn out by looking at their environment or parents. Yes you can say the odds are for or against the person but you can not say they will be bad or good.

People change through out their lives. I am not the same person I was five years ago. Our history is a part of our change but the way the change goes is dependent on what is inside not on the outside. If we learn from out loses and the downs in our lives we can turn bad into good. This is what happens to many who go to prison. They learn from their mistakes and turn them into the stepping stones to success.

If a kid goes to prison (to me a kid is under 21 not 18) for life or is executed it is a miscarriage of justice. The kid can and will change. In the case of execution they are not the same person who committed the crime. In the case of life without parole the same thing happens. Ten to twenty years later the person in prison is not the same as the person that committed the crime. If the change is for the good the person in prison is the wrong person in prison. That person is gone for good.

If the person has life without parole they feel there is not reason to be good. There is the chance of having their sentence commuted but a slim chance. What incentive do they have to shed their bad side and let their good side take over? None, but despite that they may rehabilitate themselves.

The problem is that they have guards who do not care. In fact many do what they can to drag them down. If they see that they are improving themselves they make it hard on them. Even when they have a chance for parole the guards may ticket them for no reason and that will shoot down their parole.

In conclusion I must say that life without parole should be abolished. Look at Charles Manson. When the Supreme Court shot down the death penalty the last time his sentence was commuted to life with parole. He has seen the parole board many times to no avail. He will never be released.

If you know of any cases where a person is in for life without parole let us know their story so we can add it to this web site. Send me an E-mail.