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Reduce the 85% prison mandate terms for first time violent offenders.

Prisons are supposed to be rehabilitation centers, when serving such long sentences they become institutionalized. Help give them a second chance to be better parents, significant others, and children.

Missouri is an 85% mandate state on prison terms. Our prisons are supposed to be rehabilitation facilities. They are meant to rehabilitate the inmates to make them readjust them selves to society to be a better person. First time violent offenders should be given a second chance, when they show that they have completed the necessary programs to sustain a healthy and productive life on the outside. There are inmates that have been locked up since young adulthood. Parole boards hands are tied and they are not allowed to distinguish and give the ones credit for the good work that they do. Give credit where credit is due. Allow inmates to receive early release, and credit for their lifestyle changes while being incarcerated. After serving these long extreme sentences they become institutionalized and makes it hard for them to function in everyday life. Give them the opportunity to be a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, or wife again. Let prisons be rehabilitation centers and reduce the 85% mandate law. Give parole boards back the right to make decisions. After all they are the ones that sit down and talk to the inmates and know their situations. This will also reduce the costs tremendously being spent yearly to house these individuals. This will allow money to be spent for more important issues that we face today.