LPWI: Beloit Officer Case Highlights Need for Equal Access to Second Chances
The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin says the recent disposition involving former Beloit police officer Terrell English highlights a larger issue the state must confront: Who gets a second chance in Wisconsin?
English entered no-contest pleas to disorderly conduct, battery and false imprisonment. The court withheld findings of guilt under an arrangement that could result in dismissal of the charges if he successfully completes the required conditions.
LPWI does not oppose opportunities for rehabilitation. In fact, that principle is at the heart of the party’s developing Wisconsin Clean Slate Initiative.
The question is why similar opportunities aren’t available more broadly.
“The issue isn’t that someone was given an opportunity to earn a second chance,” said LPWI Chair Reese Wood. “The issue is that thousands of ordinary Wisconsinites live with criminal records and their consequences long after they’ve completed everything the justice system required of them. If rehabilitation matters for one person, it should matter for everyone.”
LPWI’s Wisconsin Clean Slate Initiative seeks to examine reforms that would allow people who have fulfilled their obligations to society a meaningful opportunity to move forward, while maintaining accountability for criminal conduct.
Criminal records can create barriers to employment, housing, occupational licensing and other opportunities long after a sentence has been completed.
“This case demonstrates that Wisconsin’s justice system already recognizes the value of rehabilitation and second chances,” Wood said. “Clean Slate asks us to apply that principle fairly. A second chance shouldn’t depend on your profession, connections or status.”
LPWI will continue developing its Wisconsin Clean Slate Initiative and working toward reforms that balance accountability with the principle that government punishment should not automatically last a lifetime.
For more information or to become involved, contact the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin at press@lpwi.org.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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