Rehabilitation

Today, people on death row are not given the same opportunity to rehabilitate themselves and help out in their community as those who are punished for the same crimes and only sentenced to long prison sentences without the chance of parole ( Dieter ). While in jail, there have been many cases of individuals turning their lives around, furthering their education, volunteering in the community, and turning to a life activisim, often speaking out against the very crimes they committed. However, when on death row, inmates are not given the same opportunities and pushing for these rights to be granted is an uphill battle. Stanley "Tookie" Williams is an example of a man who was able to take the initiative while on death row and try to right his wrongs. With enough publicity, he was able to gain supporters and was evetually granted rights to publish children's stories and speak out against gang violence ( Montaldo).

Prison inmates can receive the opportunity to better their society and themselves. Rehabilitation is encouraged in the US justice system, even for inmates who are sentenced to life in prison (" Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration"). Prisoners on death row, however, do not get the same opportunity, even though they will be spending the remainder of their life awaiting execution. What reasoning is there behind preventing rehabilitation of these convicts? If an inmate has displayed exceptional behavior, he or she should be given the chance to better the community, regardless of the sentence. If a person is willing to better themselves and turn their life around before death, there is no reason to hold them back. Holding them back as a means of punishment for their actions is cruel, and unnecessary. As a society of progress, we should condone the desire to rehabilitate, not condemn it.

 Stanley "Tookie" Williams, was founder of the Crips gang, which he formed initially to protect his neighborhood, became a very popular group that spread rapidly. Growing up in a life surrounded by drugs and fighting only taught Tookie more about street life. He was accused of four murders plus two counts of robbery that ended with his receiving the death penalty. He was given six and a half years staying in confinement for multiple assaults on guards and fellow inmates ( Alonso). During this time he was left to ponder what he had done all his life and what he could still do. He attributed his transformation to God, and began speaking out against gang violence. Through his times on the streets he was able to transform and become someone completely new. Tookie is an example of someone who was put on death row, yet show that he could change and prove himself capable of rehabilitation. In addition, he began writing a book and in 1996, with the help of co-author Barbara Cottman Becnel, he published the first of eight "Tookie Speeks out Against Gang Violence" anti-gang books aimed at children ("  Stanley Tookie Williams Biography")  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px;">. He helped a lot of people and changed a lot of people’s views on himself through his mature attitude and his willingness to help young children that were in his onetime position. Even though death row is already a sentence to death, those occupants still should be given a chance to prove themselves worthy of living a life as a normal human. Tookie was a long lasting example to all those that have come through death row and always stands as a great motivation for those young children that are able to read his books. Towards the end of his sentence, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger denied Williams bid for clemency. Stanley Tookie Williams was executed by lethal injection on December 13, 2005, at San Quentin State Prison (" Goodman, Amy, and Juan Gonzalez"). Individuals should be given the same chance for rehabilitation as those sentenced to life in prison as anyone can change with the right motivation and mind set and any human life should be given the opportunity to prove it. media type="youtube" key="HGsfF9_c0kI" height="349" width="425" align="center"

<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> ﻿ ﻿ The death row see’s many people every year each with different psychological effects. These can be caused by a bad childhood, aggressive abuse of that person, and or gang violence. The death penalty as seen by others is a just retribution for certain crimes and that the criminal has forfeited his right to life by his actions; some view it as a deterrent; others have lost faith in the ability and willingness of the criminal justice system to keep demonstrably dangerous people away from the general population(" <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px;"> The Effects of Capital Punishment"). Death row is a very long process and can be related to life in prison as both end with the inmate’s death. While these people are in death row they should be allowed the chance to turn a new leaf and start over with a rehabilitation process. The long process is a great chance for them to remove their guilt, see their wrong doings, and learn from their mistakes in life. Stanley Tookie Williams showed the world that he was able to do this and that someone coming from gang violence, abuse, and anger could change and promote good in children. Although these psychological effects can be very dangerous and hard to get out of that person; a chance at a new life should always be given. Transforming from a killer to a kind and honest person is a long process that requires a strong mental note and a great system of help. With the time it takes to kill an inmate in death row, they could be transformed into a new person that see’s life different thus saving lives and giving back to the community.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: black; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 150%; vertical-align: auto;">Taking into consideration the fact that inmates in death row have committed very drastic crimes; they are still humans that have the ability to change. With the psychological effects and the process of death row; rehibilitation is a great possibility that will improve life and help those in need. Life in prision is a very hurtful treatment that holds very similar promises to the death penalty. Many of those inmates in jail have turned their lives around, furthering their education, and volunteering in the community. The world lost a great man willing to do anything to change and help younger children; he was sentenced to death row and proved his abilities to change, become someone new, and dispelled of his past. The fight to allow those in death row the right to rehibilitate and become new people is an ongoing battle that has been going on for a very long time. The increased number of death row inmates and the importance of life means there is only a matter of time before this chance to a new life is allowed for those in death row.