I’m always wary of a NIMBY effect in discussions like this, because it’s always easy to say we should give someone a chance if you’re not going to be living next to them or having loved ones near them. How many of you would be alright with yourself or a loved one living closely near someone like this, as a neighbor or coworker perhaps?

Someone will have to live near them and work near them, after all. If you aren’t willing to be that someone, you have no right to put other people in that position. It’s why I don’t support parole for violent offenses. I would never feel comfortable or safe if I or a loved one were around them. I’m not going to ask someone else to do it instead so I can still feel good about showing mercy.

Is that harsh and selfish of me? Absolutely. But I see nothing wrong with putting society’s safety ahead of the freedom of someone who has committed a truly heinous act. Mercy cannot come at the cost of the innocent. If there is any doubt that a person will pose a safety risk, they should not have parole.