Seeking redemption for aged and infirm prisoners amid Alabama's high bar for parole

[Jilly_in_VA]

Doug Layton, Jr. proudly takes a visitor on an after-hours tour at the glass shop where he works just outside Birmingham, Ala. Layton has been here less than a year but has been given the responsibility for locking things up at the end of the day.

"I haven't felt that since I was like 15 or 16 — where somebody just really trusts me," he says.

Layton is 56, and spent nearly 20 years in prison for reckless murder in a hit and run killing. With prior felony convictions, he was sentenced to life in prison. He had a clean record behind bars, and worked for 5 years at a work release camp. So when he was up for parole in 2021, he was hopeful he might get out. But even with support from the victim's mother, he was denied parole.

"What kind of message is that sending to somebody that's trying so hard to focus on their life, their character, their remorse, everything?"

Layton says repeated parole denials rip the hope out of incarcerated people, leading to more desperate conditions.

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/11/1217710630/prison-parole-alabama-redemption-earned-prisoners-release

It's ridiculous to keep some of these people in prison. Read on....

[stopdiggin]

1. parole boards have to be interested in parole

Many of them are there primarily for the reason that they aren't particularly ..
And let's face it a 'lenient' system - is going to almost immediately come under attack. The only cure for that means a (somewhat united) field of strong judges, DAs, prosecutors - and governors - that have the backbone to stand up to their own constituents ...

Wish you luck. It is obviously something that needs to be addressed

[OldBaldy1701E]

2. Yep.

What do these 'for profit' prisons get per inmate? Do we think they are going to do anything to lessen that monthly income? They have armies of lobbyists trying to get the feds to approve even more prisons. Private prisons. Any ideas on how those investors are going to recoup that amount?

(It is not about justice anymore. It is about wealth.)

[stopdiggin]

3. and also about constituencies that are still lapping up

the 'tough on crime' mantra .. Let's give at least a head nod to where the voting public is camped out.
Respectfully ...
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[OldBaldy1701E]

4. True, but the sheep will believe anything.

Those shysters know that. But, you are right, between the greed and the Dirt Reich, they don't want them to leave.

Unless they start costing the prison money. THEN, they can't spell 'parole' fast enough.