Editor, Commonwealth:
A large number of inmates are in prison for crimes committed when they were still young and immature. Many are serving extremely long sentences.
“Even bright, mature teenagers sometimes do things that are ‘stupid.’
“But when it happens, it’s not really their fault. It’s because their brains haven’t finished developing. The underdeveloped area is called the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex. It plays a critical role in decision-making, problem-solving and understanding future consequences of today’s actions. Problem is, it won’t be fully mature until they’re into their 20s.
“It’s one reason 16-year-old drivers have crash rates three times higher than 18-year-olds.”
The above information is from an insurance ad. Some youths lose their lives in crashes before they have a chance to mature. Others lose their lives to the justice system. Some may deserve another chance.
In 10 years or more of incarceration, an inmate’s file will indicate whether or not he has become a more responsible human being and possibly deserving of another chance at freedom.
Mississippi’s Legislature can give the Parole Board the authority to review files of all state offenders, regardless of what law they were sentenced under, and consider parole for those it finds deserving of such relief. The Parole Board could then make a difference in prison overcrowding.
Roy Harper
Mississippi State Penitentiary
Parchman
