A lot of things have changed here post-COVID, and the most impressive change is that a lot of prisoners are finally starting to go home. Things are definitely changing with parole, pardons, sentencing, and resentencing.
Prisoners are able to get their BS sentences tossed out due to the corruption of the 2000 to 2012 era kangaroo trials that took place all over South Carolina; and after the cases finish review, a resentencing can take place correcting the fake sentences that were handed out. All the Andy's and Barney's seem to be gone from some of the counties in sc, and newer people are finally in place that have actually read the U.S. Constitution or, at least heard of it - and I am seeing a lot of us go back and get time originally sentenced cut in half, or less. Those with a "life sentence" are mostly being reduced to 20 or 30 year sentences, of which they only do a percentage (85%), and getting parole eligibility along with the lowered time. Still, time served in SC is higher than national average, actually twice to three times as much in some cases. Statistics show that longer prison sentences do nothing to lower crime rates. Economy is the biggest driver of crime: in bad economy,
crime rates go up, while during good economic times, crime rates drop drastically. Prisons don't prevent crime. Prisons are instead tasked with the responsibility of
rehabilitating prisoners!
Over 95 percent of SC prisoners do have a release date, but as a result of a prosecutorial or judicial corruption from 2000 to 2012, those dates are too far spaced.
It was an era when a lot of SC prosecutors and many judges were playing political games and meeting quota. Those days are over now, so the grossly over-sentences are finally getting a new day in court.
If you're thinking SC courts are being lenient. Think again, while SC has a low ranking crime rate per capita, it has the highest amount of time given in sentences, and the largest amount of corruption an negligence when it comes to law enforcement and criminal law interpretation in court rooms. Media may report some (against all odds) 80+ percent conviction rate, but neglects to mention those convictions mostly get overturned by higher courts that look at the lower courts thinking WTF. The courts from the 2000s in SC were ... comical in their blatant violations. Luckily, their time has come and gone. There's still a few old crones and crooks hanging onto their old rusted badges, but ... their days too are numbered in time.
M.