California Justices Rule That Non-Violent Sex Offenders Are Eligible for Parole
The California Supreme Court made an argument that not all sex offenses are the same. This gets rid of a few unfair rules associated with early parole. Now that the floodgates are open, there are a few questions about how this affects everyday citizens.
It Was Unanimous
Inmates convicted of nonviolent sex crimes are now able to get a chance at early parole. This is big news for a group that would usually be denied these simple rights. With this ruling, lawyers for sex crimes defense can build a stronger case for their clients.
Usually, rulings of this caliber get lost in years of back and forth arguing. Thanks to former Governor Jerry Brown, the original initiative remained active. He was a big supporter of changing the prison system for the better. Non-violent sex offenders were never meant to go through the same parole chances as regular sex offenders. The imbalance in the system has led to over population in prisons across the world.
This law is one change of many that will indirectly combat the prison population problem.
Starting A New Life
An inmate lives a completely different day to day life than the average person. This leads to habits and tendencies that don’t mesh with the real world. The daily frustrations of wanting to get back to a regular life only feeds in to these tendencies. Instead of empowering an inmate to do right, it encourages them to ease the emotional burden.
Early parole for non-violent sex offenders used to be hit or miss. Even with a good case, it led to a lot of misunderstandings when release was denied. When an individual is looking to move on with life, holding them back releases violent thoughts. The new California law looks to get rid of these misunderstandings, and keep non-violent sex offenders passive.
Instead of looking for new ways to deal with prison, non-violent sex offenders can now spend it reforming for a normal life.
Sex Registry
California still requires an offender to adhere to Megans Law. Registering is mandatory, and failing to do so can quickly revoke the positive features of an early parole. For an inmate leaving prison, this is the uncomfortable part of getting back into the real world. It is a temporary tag on your identity that can be searched in a well-organized database.
Although it is meant as a temporary restriction, the truth is that registering as a sex offender is a lifetime tag. The point of early parole for non-violent sex offenders is to create a new life based on their specific circumstances. Some choose to work, while others choose to pursue goals of inner peace.
No matter what choice an individual makes, the law has given them a chance to create an identity away from the crime.
A Change
California has a good reputation for being ahead of the curve when it comes to law. There are still punishments in place for sex offenders that break the law. But for the individuals that want a legitimate change, this is good news to wake up to.
