By mandating parole eligibility for the worst offenders, the Teen Killer Empowerment Act (TKEA) endangers society.
The Reality Of Recidivism
We know that recidivism rates are high. A May 2018 U.S. Department of Justice report on state prisoner recidivism followed a sample of over 400,000 prisoners released in 30 states in 2005. The results were unsettling. Nearly 45% of the released offenders were re-arrested within one year of release. About 68% were re-arrested within three years, 79% within six years, and 83% within nine years. According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, the three-year recidivism rate in Ohio is 31%.
The statistics regarding recidivism among juvenile offenders are just as troubling.
One 1997 study found that 60% of male juvenile killers and attempted killers who were released re-offended over a five to 15 year period. A 2001 study found that 60% of juvenile killers and attempted killers who were released were re-committed due to a parole violation or received a new prison sentence. In this study, data for the amount of time served and recidivism was presented for a 15 to 17-year period. The authors noted that the recidivism rate was likely higher than reported in the study–recidivism was determined by whether or not the offenders returned to prison, and did not include offenders who were not caught or sent back to prison.
A 2015 study that examined the same sample as the 2001 study over a 30-year period found that 90% of juvenile killers and attempted killers who were released were re-arrested. Over 60% were re-arrested for violent crimes.
Read more about recidivism among juvenile offenders here.
Far too often, parole boards release dangerous offenders under the mistaken impression that the offender has changed, resulting in horrific and even deadly consequences. You can read just some of the many examples of dangerous early release here.
Benefiting Psychopathic Criminals
Some juvenile offenders are psychopaths. Psychopaths are unable to feel empathy for anyone, even their own children. They feel no remorse for their actions no matter the impact on others. They are also self-centered and manipulative. Though psychopaths make up a small percentage of the general population, they commit a disproportionate share of serious violent crimes. To be considered a psychopath, one must score 30 out of 40 on the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised. In the general population, the average score is five. Even if an offender does not meet the 30-point criteria they may still have many psychopathic traits.
Psychopaths are very talented at manipulating and can pretend to be reformed when they are still dangerous. Parole boards and other authorities are easily manipulated by them. In fact, one study found that psychopaths are 2.5 times more likely to be granted conditional release than non-psychopaths due to their ability to manipulate.
There currently is no cure for psychopathy. Attempts to teach psychopaths empathy and compassion only make them more dangerous as they learn how to manipulate people, fake emotions, and use people’s emotions against them.
It is a scientific fact that psychopaths cannot be reformed. By making psychopaths eligible for parole, all you are doing is giving dangerous criminals the opportunity to manipulate their way into society.
Read more about psychopathy here.