Becoming eligible for parole alters incarcerated people's outlook, creating hope for a life outside and prompting consideration of behavioral change. Many incarcerated youth adopt a 'lifer' identity that diminishes concern about daily conduct or reflection on victims. Youth incarcerated early face immature decision-making and vulnerability to older inmates' pressure to engage in illegal activity. Substance use often serves as coping for unmanageable feelings, making cessation difficult. Parole boards assess conduct and evidence of an arc toward improvement, with insight and avoidance of problematic behavior central to suitability decisions. Denial of parole can severely undermine motivation for self-improvement.
Until recently, when they were granted a resentencing hearing and became eligible for parole, the brothers had anticipated spending their lives behind bars. When you're a "lifer," it can feel unimportant how you spend your days or whether you think much about your crime and your victims. And when you are incarcerated at a young age, your youth and immature decision-making, as well as your perceived vulnerability, can make you easy prey to older inmates' pressure to engage in illegal activity.
Resentencing brings hope for the life outside that you thought was gone forever. People start thinking about the changes they need to make so that a parole board will find them suitable for parole. One part of the equation is giving up substance use, fighting, or really, any behavior that's considered unacceptable. Your conduct over the length of your incarceration is reviewed, with an eye to seeing an arc toward improvement.
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