Californians Once Facing LWOP Now Giving Back; Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch releases report; "I Just Want to Give Back"
People formerly sentenced to life without parole (LWOP) in the state of California have flourished since they have had an opportunity to return home, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. As changes in legislation and executive power have allowed new pathways for release, the vast majority of people who have been released after serving these sentences are volunteering in their communities, caring for family members, and mentoring youth.
The report, "I Just Want to Give Back’: The Reintegration of People Sentenced to Life Without Parole,” sheds light on the personal transformation and remarkable endeavors of 110 individuals interviewed in California who have successfully reintegrated into society after facing an LWOP sentence. For those advocating for fair and just sentencing reforms and especially abolishing life without parole sentences entirely to embrace a more compassionate approach to justice that prioritizes rehabilitation, restoration, and second chances, this report is highly valuable and informative. We encourage you to share it with others who may benefit from its contents, as well as using it in your advocacy, especially when in communication with your elected officials regarding criminal justice and sentencing reforms.
From the report; Human Rights Watch surveyed and interviewed 110 of the 143 persons who were set to serve LWOP sentences but had secured releases by May 2021, and also reviewed statistical data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Of those 110 persons:
- 94 percent reported volunteering regularly
- 84 percent said they financially assisted others
- 90 percent worked full or part-time
- 43 percent of those were working in the nonprofit sector
The majority of respondents expressed a profound sense of remorse for the harm they had caused earlier in their lives, and a strong desire to make amends as their primary driving force in life since returning home. “Every day I wake up and try to make amends for my crimes and try to do the best I can in memory of the victims in my case and their families,” one respondent told Human Rights Watch. “I’ll never be able to fully make up for it, but I’ll do my best to try.”
Read the full report "I Just Want to Give Back’: The Reintegration of People Sentenced to Life Without Parole" from Human Rights Watch, a non profit organization that defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice.
