A recent story in the Christian Post examines the story of Luke Woodham, a mass murderer in Mississippi who is 14 years into a life sentence. Woodham is now applying for clemency, claiming, “I am sorry for my crimes and I am asking for a chance to live the new life that God has given me.”
The piece cites an article by our own Ruth Chodniewicz noting the various motivations that may lead an inmate into a “jailhouse conversion.” Is it a purely emotional experience – the culmination of days, weeks, or months of confinement? Is it a calculated decision by the inmate in order to make a good appearance for the parole board? Or is it a more profound change of spirit and a desire to make right what has been wrong? Certainly, there are more than a few examples of each of these scenarios in our jails and prisons today.
There are many who might question the sincerity of a convicted murderer’s remorse – especially when that murderer seeks to use that claim to “new life” as grounds for his release from prison. However, there are deeper questions embedded in Mr. Woodham’s request – questions that strike at the very heart of the idea of “corrections.” What, exactly, is the intent of incarceration? How is success in the corrections system defined? And how do we know when the corrections process has been completed? The sincerity of Mr. Woodham’s apology aside, these questions call out for answers.
Is the primary purpose of incarceration to transform those who enter prison into productive members of society? If so, Mr. Woodham might have a legitimate claim to clemency. Is the end goal of prison to separate those whose dangerous or violent behavior threatens the life and well-being of others in society? Perhaps the end is more punitive – those who do wrong must pay a price for their malfeasance. Or maybe the objective is to use punishment as a way to define what is valued by the culture (e.g., the “right to life” is so treasured that the only punishment that is deemed sufficient for the taking of life is the loss of life by another – either through lifelong incarceration or by execution). If the end goal is some amalgamation of these objectives, what is the appropriate combination?
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has stated that he would be “flabbergasted” if Woodham is granted clemency. But should it be granted? The answer to this hinges on what we value as a society, and what we expect from our justice system.