Written more than 2,000 years ago, the Chinese classic text “Tao Te Ching” states: “There is no calamity like not knowing what is enough.”

How much incarceration is enough?

Maine abolished its parole system in 1976. Since then, the population of Maine’s prisons has increased 400 percent. Currently the Department of Corrections budget roughly parallels the University of Maine System budget ($209 million versus $229 million), although DOC holds about 1,700 individuals while the UMaine System serves roughly 27,000 students. The math is simple.

L.D. 842, An Act To Re-establish Parole, offers Maine an opportunity for a course correction to the escalating costs of incarceration. Costs not just in dollars, but also in the meaningless, irrecoverable loss to society of a life rehabilitated and left to languish behind bars.

Do all prisoners deserve parole? No. Parole is not about “letting bad people out of prison early.” Parole must be earned and approved by a parole board. Notably, the simple chance for parole adds an important incentive for rehabilitation and personal development while serving a sentence.

Most crimes involve pain and suffering. This is certainly true if there is a victim; however, it’s often true for the offender as well. Needless perpetuation by a rigid and unreasonable criminal justice system is not the best we can do as a society. People can change, and they do change. Let’s create a judicial system that recognizes opportunities for healing and responds with maturity and wisdom. Parole can be part of this.

Thomas Kircher
chaplain, Volunteers of America Northern New England
Brunswick