This factor? “Yeah.” It’s simply, it’s a digicam. It additionally takes movie. “Oh, all proper, OK.” It’s a digital digicam. “Yeah.” And it is a microphone. “Oh, OK. You recognize, I’ve been locked up for 40-some years. I didn’t know.” Return to your time earlier than coming right here. “What is that this?” That’s — “Peach? Glowing water, they don’t promote stuff like this right here, by no means.” “After I obtained locked up, my twins had been 8 months outdated. Whew, and that was the final time I noticed them. I wrote them letters each week for the primary 20 years I used to be right here. And by this time, now they’re all adults. So I determine it’s time for me to cease attempting.” “How may you are taking a 19-year-old particular person and simply take the worst resolution he ever made and maintain him accountable for it for the remainder of his whole life and never even contemplate that he might have modified?” “He was the thug on the streets 24, 25 years in the past, and we’re indignant at that particular person, not realizing that that particular person not exists. He truly hasn’t existed for, like, over 20 years.” These males are serving life sentences at Angola jail in Louisiana. They don’t have the opportunity of parole. “I’m serving a life sentence for second-degree homicide.” “First-degree homicide.” “Second-degree homicide and armed theft.” “I’m serving a life sentence.” “A life sentence with out parole.” “I used to be 18 when this crime occurred.” “I used to be 17 years outdated.” “I used to be 18 on the time.” “I come right here once I’m 17. I’m 80 years outdated now.” Individuals who commit crimes ought to be held accountable. However how a lot punishment is sufficient for justice? As you pay attention to those males, ask your self: Do they deserve an opportunity at redemption? “I had time to replicate and what my life could be if I needed to keep right here. After which I began noticing the necessity right here of the people who was illiterate. So I stated, OK, properly, I may do some good right here. So I began tutoring guys, and I began feeling a self-worth. I stated, properly, I may give one thing again like that, all of the whereas nonetheless coping with the truth that I took a life, an harmless life.” “If I occur to die right here in jail, that’s not one thing that I would like. However I’ve to consider and take into account I took one other human’s life, a younger man, Damian. I went to highschool with him. He nonetheless was anyone’s son. If I may return in time and redo that, that might have by no means occurred. It shouldn’t have occurred.” Within the U.S., there are greater than 50,000 folks serving life with out parole, 70 % of whom are Black. “Should you come right here younger, properly, jail supplies. So that you by no means must be accountable in the event you don’t wish to. It’s onerous to mature in jail as a result of prisons aren’t arrange so that you can bear the stress of accountability and to develop from that. So you need to sort of search it out your personal.” With so many lengthy sentences, America’s jail inhabitants is growing older. Taxpayers spend about $70,000 to maintain each aged prisoner locked up yearly. So Angola created a hospice program. Prisoners volunteer to care for different prisoners, principally folks convicted of homicide caring for the dying. “It gave me a goal. It gave me a goal and confirmed me a unique facet, yeah, a compassionate facet. And I in all probability sat with over 50 folks to their demise.” “Man, you recognize, I ain’t been to no man. However my first affected person was a man dying of AIDS. After I’m taking a look at him — a person weighing 60-something kilos, like, man, he can’t do nothing. So I’ve to select him out of the mattress, put him within the wheelchair. Convey him to the toilet, assist him, bathe him up, tease him, mess with him. However once I first was capable of assist an individual, I simply felt totally different.” “Excuse the expression, however they wash all up the crack of one other man’s ass, all up beneath his nuts and all. It doesn’t care what nationality or race he’s. Is that man faking? Hasn’t that man modified? He may need been a personality when he obtained right here. However this man has developed character. This man has developed compassion. It comes all the way down to not a lot what you have got accomplished. However what have you ever turn out to be?” Volunteering, mentoring, training, new experiences gave these males new goal. “I obtained a diploma from Culinary Arts Faculty from Baton Rouge Group School and three certifications from the Nationwide Middle for Development Training and Analysis. Within the occasion that I ever went house, I could possibly be an asset to society and never a legal responsibility. I put together as if I’m going house tomorrow. Regardless that I’ve a life with out parole, I attempt to put together as if I’m going house tomorrow as a result of who is aware of what may occur. I’d fairly go ready than go unprepared.” Do we actually wish to be a rustic the place there’s no quantity of progress that can ever give somebody even an opportunity to depart jail, a rustic that’s wonderful with limitless punishment however by no means with mercy? “That’s the worst half, figuring out that I’m a modified man, figuring out that I’ve the talents to go be a greater particular person in society, figuring out that I wish to do higher in society, and figuring out that I can do higher in society, and never having the chance to try this as a result of I’ve a life sentence with out parole. It’s onerous. It’s onerous.” However we now have an answer. Second-look reforms would supply an opportunity at parole for individuals who have remodeled themselves and who’ve already served a good portion of their sentence. To be truthful, there could also be lifers who haven’t grown. However for the various who’ve, they deserve a second probability. “Ask your self if you had been 16, 17 years outdated, are you an identical particular person? Do you even assume the identical approach you do now? No, that’s human nature. Folks change.” “If rehabilitation is a course of, there ought to be an finish to it. There’s no, you get to a sure grade stage, and there’s not highschool, then school, and you’ll pursue undergraduate after which graduate research. There’s none of that. It’s only a life sentence.” A number of states have carried out modifications within the prison justice system, together with second-look reforms. And a few of these males have truly gotten out. However they’re solely a small fraction of these serving life with out parole. Now in the event you’re involved they may hurt another person, lower than 3 % of lifers who’re launched are rearrested. And when they’re, it’s often for a technicality, not a violent crime. In different phrases, prolonged jail sentences don’t enhance public security. Over time, People may save billions of {dollars} if a few of these older reformed males are let loose. “I’ve been right here longer than I’ve been with my household. So typically I query the place I’m from. I’d be tempting to jot down my mama and them and say, if I die, depart me right here. Don’t come get me. Don’t depart me with them. I don’t know them no extra. Bury me with my pals.” “I do know indisputably I’m going house. If I die right here, whether or not it’s tomorrow or, God forbid, 25 years from now, my physique won’t keep right here. I’m leaving Angola. I’m not going to be buried right here. Someone who says, I wish to be buried at Angola, that’s the saddest a part of what a life sentence does to you.” “I be sure that my life could be very purposeful. Each time I make investments myself into another person, I free part of myself. Part of me will depart right here with you. I’m going to like folks so passionately till part of me will all the time stay outdoors of the gates of Angola.” “I’ve caught loads of hell on this penitentiary.” [LAUGHING] “Whether or not or not, I hope I’ll be fortunate sufficient to get out. I’d go someplace and make me a dwelling and begin once more. Yeah. They are saying, the older you get, the extra you be taught. Properly, I’ve discovered a number of issues, you perceive, so.” [MUSIC PLAYING]