Date:
Dear (Representative or Senator) :
I am a registered voter in your district, and I am writing to ask that you support HB 2135 – Parole expansion for life sentences, which was recently introduced by Representative Jason Dawkins.
HB 2135 will re-institute parole opportunities for all prisoners in Pennsylvania after 15 years of time served, including people serving life sentences.
HB 2135 does not guarantee the release of anyone from prison, but merely grants everyone the right to prove that they are deserving of release. Currently, this right is completely denied to the more than 5200 people who are serving life sentences in Pennsylvania. It is one of only six states that does not grant parole opportunities to lifers.
Furthermore, corrections is a huge line item in our state budget, costing over $2 billion a year. We invest more in incarceration than we do in schools. Moreover, studies have clearly shown that as a person ages, their likelihood of recidivism continues to decrease, and it drops precipitously after the age of 50.
Pennsylvania has an ever increasing population of aging lifers over the age of 55, many of whom are reformed and extremely unlikely to recidivate. We are keeping too many people who are not a threat to public safety in prison until their deaths, at tremendous cost to our state coffers and our communities.
Please support HP 2135, become a cosponsor, vote yes on the bill, and help Pennsylvania get smart on crime.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
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(Name printed)
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