Tortures' Conviction Too Little Too Late

On my visit home for my uncle's 50th birthday party, I encountered yet another example of the depravity of my hometown -- the town that brought you the implant-slashing ex-fiancée and the shoplifting, baby toting moms. This time it was the conviction of 24-year-old Vanessa Woods and her 26-year-old lover Riginald Hardin for torturing their 20-month-old daughter, known in court documents as Baby Woods.

Convicted of felony child abuse and felony torture of a child the pair will serve 12 years on the abuse count and a life sentence on the torture charge. What's confusing about their convention is that the pair will be eligible for parole seven years into the life sentence. After 19 years in prison emdash; for inflicting third degree burns on their infant's feet and anus, second degree burns on her legs and burning her with cigarettes, among other atrocities emdash; the two could be back on the streets.

What sort of rehabilitation will Woods and Hardin receive during the decades they spend behind bars? There are no guarantees. Most likely they'll not receive any intensive treatment or counseling or rehabilitation of any substantiative merit. Usually I'm among the first to call for rehabilitation before retribution, but the heinousness of Woods and Hardin's crimes and their remorselessness make forgiving them unthinkable and freeing them unethical.