Parole for Children

Parole for adolescent offenders may be in effect if the HB 23 bill for the Florida House of Representatives passes. This bill will give children, ages 15 and younger, the chance at redeeming their life outside the suffocating prison bars. Fortunately, this bill provides an understanding that children sometimes make mistakes, and do not have the proper support system to know any better.

According to the bill, the guidelines for parole of a sentence that is supposed to be for 10 years or more, includes them having no past criminal record before this crime was committed, serving the minimum 8 years, going through an interview process, and completing a GED program.

The bill’s main purpose is to give that second chance that so many children deserve. We believe that the conditions of some people’s lives aren’t always stable to make good decisions, especially in an age where vulnerability is at it’s highest.

The outcome of creating this program will be positive. It will allow children to get an education, and hopefully create a more promising future for themselves than if they were to stay in prison.

With the interview process being a mandatory evaluation of eligibility of parole, it will allow the state to see if there is regret or knowledge of mistake in the prisoners mind. This is important because it assists in showing there is more than just a criminal to the child at hand.

Residents of Tampa agree with us too. Addison Largent said, “It’s sad that someone younger than 15 would get 10 years to life for a crime. But depending on their background they may not know better, so I do think they should get the chance to grow up and realize their mistakes.”

The bill has already been voted in favor to pass at the Public Safety & Domestic Security Policy Committee, hopefully other committees will pass it too and we will soon see more children with a brighter future.