Governor Schwarzenegger’s decision this week to parole James Tramel is a welcome recognition of the rehabilitative potential of California’s youth offenders, Human Rights Watch said today. Tramel was convicted of second degree murder for a crime he committed at age 17 and sentenced to imprisonment for 15 years to life.
During his 20 years in prison, Trammel has counseled delinquent youths; worked in a prison hospice; helped prisoners to prepare for release from prison, and participated in reconciliation programs. In 2005, he was ordained as an Episcopal priest.
“Tramel shows how even kids convicted of murder can turn their lives around,” said Alison Parker, senior researcher in the U.S. Program of Human Rights Watch. “Child offenders should be held accountable for their crimes, but they all deserve a second chance.”
Human Rights Watch said that Tramel was fortunate that his sentence permitted him to seek parole. One hundred and eighty youth offenders in California’s prisons, however, have been sentenced to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. Regardless of their potential for rehabilitation, their sentence prevents them from ever seeking parole.
California’s 180 youth sentenced to life without parole are some of 2,225 nationwide, according to a recent report by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. One of the report’s major findings was that youth serving life without parole in California are at the bottom of the list for getting access to education or vocational training in prison. According to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff, those resources are reserved for those who have a chance at leaving prison.
“James Tramel had a reason to hope, and that hope combined with his faith and perseverance transformed his life,” Parker said. “But youth serving life without parole have no hearing to look forward to, and few training programs to participate in.”
The report estimated that 26 percent nationwide were convicted of “felony murder,” which holds that anyone involved in the commission of a serious crime during which someone is killed is also guilty of murder, even if he or she did not personally or directly cause the death.
California has 15 times as many youths serving life without parole as the rest of the world. Outside of the United States, there are some 12 young offenders currently serving life sentences with no possibility of parole in just three countries.
