My name is eric barnard in 1996 at the age of 18 i was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Never have i been arrested or charged with any crime, entering prison would be a shock to most people. It was especially a shock for a 18 year old kid.
As expected my disciplinary reflects that of a young man trying to navigate a world he was ill equiped for. However as i got older i started maturing i began looking at my life and my actions in a very different way. I began educating myself. By earning my G.E.D, becoming a crossfit instructor and working towards a degree in business.
My goal is to not minimize what brought me to prison. My actions led me to prison and i take full responsibility for my actions.
My goal in writing this is to show that dispite perceptions, individuals over the age of 18 can change and if they can change, as well as show that they are no longer a threat, or pose any danger to public safety, what then is the point and justification for continued incarceration?
Numerous studies have shown that the juvenile brain is not fully developed until age 25 this is accepted science in Colorado yet we still maintain a hard line of 18 years old as the line between juvenile and adult we continue to do this even after we know there is no difference in the brain development of someone who is 17 and 9 months ans someone who is 18 and 3 months old.
when i was arrested in 1996, i was 18 and 3 months old. The same year others that were 17 and 9 months old were arrested as well because of law changes these individuals under 18 had their life sentences overturned, and allowed to progress to JCAP the same men who were once labeled as "Super predators" by the media are now thriving in their communitys and in many cases giving back. Thus showing the fears that we one had about releasing these young men was rooted in myth.
Using these men as examples, the expansion of JCAP to include individuals up to the age of 25 and include life sentences, would be mutually beneficial to society, and the young men themselves.
For society it would help lesson the burden on perpetual incarceration. Especially when its clear that the individual no longer poses a threat to public safety. And for the young men it offers hope.
when i came to prison the loss of hope was the thing i struggled with the most. I was told i would die in prison i felt hurt, fear,anger and yes hopelessness.
By changing the law to allowed youthful offenders under the age of 25 who have life sentences to have access to the JCAP program, we can change the narrative, to give myself and more importantly the future generations the one thing all of us wish for. Hope for the future. #tolate
Please sign share and comment