I want to speak briefly in support of the combination of amendments 28 and 29. We do recognize that one of the parole board's paramount considerations has to be the protection of society. Clearly, parole has much to do with sentencing: it's the protection of the public that has to be achieved in the best way possible.
Obviously the rehabilitation of an offender is a goal that establishes, promotes, and enhances the protection of society, so we ask parole boards to exercise their judgment in that regard. We ask the courts and judges to exercise their judgment in that regard. That's the purpose of our justice system, and the principle of sentencing and the principle of parole involves trying to figure out how to best do that.