American Expatriate Costa Rica

Minister of Justice would suspend parole to curb repeat offenders

Justice Minister, Cecilia Sanchez, warned that parole benefits would be overruled if there are more repeat offenders.

Sanchez sent a letter to inmates in which she calls them to live peacefully and meet responsibly the opportunity provided to them.

The officer wrote on the letter that it is unfair to cancel a successful program by the “mistakes of a few irresponsible”.

The letter was sent on June 1, when it emerged that another parolee was arrested for raping an 8-year child at Cañas of Guanacaste.

Since last August, 1,270 felons have been relocated to a parole program meant to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

The Ministry of Justice reported that parole would not longer be granted to sexual offenders and to those convicted for murder, organized crime, or international drug trafficking.

Source: La Nación.