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One million acres of forest protected under The Conservation Fund, including in OR; Trump seeks to set aside his New York hush money guilty verdict after Supreme Court immunity ruling; 'Share the Pennies' weatherization program tackles climate solutions, reduces cost; Utah feels the impact of California's ban on gestation crates.

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SCOTUS gives former President Trump a huge win in terms of immunity, which might apply to charges of election interference. A new poll finds future court appointments are crucial for voters, and President Biden continues to face post-debate calls to leave the race.

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Ugly, imperfect produce destined for the landfill is being upcycled by a California candy company, a Texas volunteer uses his Navy training to map the gaps in broadband, and Pennsylvania has a new commission tasked with reversing its shrinking rural population.

Advocating for restorative justice, 'second-chance' policies in parole system

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Friday, May 24, 2024   

Fewer than 8% of people in Alabama prisons are granted parole when they apply for it.

Criminal justice experts got together for a discussion of how to improve parole systems and give more people a chance at rehabilitation. The panel focused on the benefits of what's known as "restorative justice."

Lisa Daniels, executive director of the Darren B. Easterling Center for Restorative Practices, said that, in part, it means looking beyond the crime when evaluating a person's rehabilitation potential, especially after many years behind bars.

"But we want to look at it as a gauge," she said, "to say, 'OK, are they that person? Or how far removed are they from being that person that committed that crime - 20, 30, 40 years ago?'"

Daniels is a former parole commissioner in Illinois whose life was touched by violent crime when her son was shot and killed. She said she believes it's important to consider people's growth throughout their sentence, rather than only the traditional factors used to determine eligibility for parole.

Outside of parole, those incarcerated in Alabama have few opportunities for redemption. In the last legislative session, House Bill 29 would have given some people serving a life sentence a chance to have their convictions reviewed, but it didn't make it to the Senate floor.

"We are not advocates of abolishing any form or mechanism that could potentially lead to release," said panelist Anthony Muhammad, released after nearly 30 years in prison, now works with the ACLU of Maryland and the Maryland Parole Partnership, advocating for second-chance laws and parole as valuable tools in the system. "So, while there are challenges, absolutely we are not in favor of abolishing, but doing the necessary work that it takes to reform and rehabilitate the system."

The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles held 22 parole hearings at its last meeting May 16. It granted four parole requests and denied 18.


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