Damnit Nic...quit editing so much.
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Originally posted by Nic Name
Syc, in this case, let's say he had been arrested soon after the crime. Whatever the sentence, do you think he should be entitled to parole from prison within 5 years on the basis of rehabilitation and being a model prisoner?
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Certainly, if he has been a model prisoner, admits guilt, and is deemed to be rehabilitated.
Parole is like a crap shoot. The recidivism rate in the US is incredibly high. But if a sentence includes parole, and the prisoner has changed his life from the time of incarceration to parole, then they deserve a second chance on the outside.
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If not, are you not supporting a notion of arguing that a subsequent life as a model citizen mitigates the crime?
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To a degree, yes. Again, he committed a serious crime...he SHOULD be punished for it, as Sara Jane Olson was for hers. But he's lived a good life since then, committing no crimes and presenting no danger to society. The rehabilitation factor, to me, is clearly shown.
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And, if so, should it mitigate any more that a model life prior to a criminal act?
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Again, I would say to a degree. This guy was apparently bad news up to the hijacking. Now, he's done a 180. I don't know about his guilt or remorse, but I would be willing to wager that there is some present. He's lived with this for 30 years, possibly with an incredible amount of torment and anguish. He'll have to live with that for the rest of his life. To me, that is part of the punishment in itself. And it seems that he has done more with his life in the past 30 years than he would have done in prison (depending on how long he might have served then).