by Necalli Ollin

Efrén Paredes Jr. is a 53-year-old Latino man from Berrien County, Michigan, currently serving a life-without-parole (LWOP) sentence for a March 8, 1989 crime. He was 15-years-old at the time of the offense and has now spent nearly four decades behind bars — 70% of his entire life. Despite spending two-and-a-half times as much time in prison than he spent as a free boy in society, Efrén has not let the walls of Michigan’s prison define his potential. Instead, he has continually chosen the path of relentless self-improvement and service.

Today, Efrén is a Western Michigan University undergraduate student in his senior year pursuing a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies; a journalist and social justice changemaker; and a dedicated advocate for conflict resolution, racial justice, and the empowerment of marginalized communities. A list of his continual growth and transformative change during his incarceration can be viewed here: https://EfrensWords.home.blog/Efrens-Accomplishments.

Efrén is currently seeking a commutation of sentence from the Honorable Governor Gretchen Whitmer after spending more than 37 years in prison. A commutation of sentence is a form of mercy granted by the Governor of Michigan. It doesn’t erase a conviction or harm; it reduces a person’s sentence so they can have a chance at release one day. The Michigan Constitution empowers the governor to grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons for all offenses except impeachment. It is an executive judgment meant for rare cases where the normal system cannot fully account for a person’s growth, change, or extraordinary circumstances.

It is about recognizing when continued punishment no longer serves the greater good. When an incarcerated person has spent decades in prison, has grown into a different human being, and no longer poses a danger to society, granting clemency becomes an act of wisdom, balance, and moral courage.

A commutation of sentence is important because it reflects the values of a civilized and evolving society. When Michigan first created life-in-prison sentencing many decades ago, public attitudes about crime and punishment were very different. Michiganders have also witnessed the consequences of mass incarceration and understand that justice must balance accountability with humanity.

Research shows that Americans” views on long-term incarceration have shifted significantly over time. A 2021 national survey found that over 60% of Americans support second chances for people who have served long sentences, including many conservatives who believe in redemption, fiscal responsibility, and limited government power. Faith communities, conservative leaders, and criminal justice reform advocates widely believe people can change and that mercy is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Michigan residents today are also more aware of brain science, trauma, and the fact that teenagers do not have fully developed decision-making abilities. The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized this, noting that youth are “constitutionally different” from adults because their brains are still developing and they have a greater capacity for change (Miller v. Alabama, 2012; Montgomery v. Louisiana, 2016).

A civilized society is built on two pillars: accountability and redemption. Accountability means people must face consequences for committing harm. Redemption means we believe human beings can grow, change, and become better than their worst moment. Clemency is the bridge between these two ideas. It allows a governor to look at a person’s entire life, not just the chapter that led them to prison.

Many people who committed crimes decades ago entered prison as teenagers or young adults. Science shows that the human brain continues developing well into the mid-20s, especially in areas related to judgment, impulse control, and decision-making. Over time, people mature, learn discipline, and develop empathy. Long-term studies show that individuals over age 50 have extremely low rates of reoffending — often below 5% — especially for violent crimes. In fact, national data shows that people released after serving long sentences have some of the lowest recidivism rates of any group. This means that keeping someone in prison for 20, 30, or even 40 years often does not make the public safer — it simply keeps a changed person behind bars long after they have aged out of crime.

Conservatives often emphasize responsibility, tradition, and public safety. Clemency aligns with these values. It respects responsibility because the person has already served decades — far more than most sentences in the world. It respects tradition because clemency is a constitutional power that has existed for generations since the founding of our state and nation. And it strengthens public safety by allowing the justice system to focus resources on people who actually pose a risk, not those who have grow into peaceful, stable adults.

Michigan has already embraced second chances in other areas. The state’s “Clean State” law automatically clears certain old convictions for people who have stayed crime-free, giving more than a million residents a fresh start. This shows that Michigan understands redemption and believes people can change.

Granting clemency is also an act of stewardship. Michigan taxpayers spend nearly $50,000 each year to incarcerate a single person, and costs rise sharply as people age and develop medical needs. When someone no longer poses a danger, continuing to imprison them becomes a financial burden with little public benefit. A governor who grants clemency in appropriate cases is choosing to use public resources wisely, focusing on rehabilitation and community investment rather than unnecessary incarceration.

There is also a moral argument. A society’s strength is measured not only by how it punishes wrongdoing but by how it recognizes transformation. Many incarcerated people spend decades working to better themselves. They earn college degrees, mentor younger incarcerated individuals, practice faith, and maintain peaceful records for years. They show empathy, insight, and emotional maturity. When a governor grants clemency to someone like this, it sends a message that Michigan believes in human dignity. It says that we do not define people solely by their worst act, especially when they have spent half a lifetime proving they are capable of good.

Some people argue that sentences should never be changed, and that judges’ decisions must stand forever, including life without parole. This view comes from a desire for stability and respect for the courts. But the Constitution gives governors clemency power precisely because judges cannot predict the future. A judge sees a person at one moment in time–often at their lowest, most chaotic, or most immature. A governor, decades later, can see the full picture: the growth, the discipline, the changed character. Clemency does not disrespect the courts or victims; it completes the justice system by adding a layer of mercy and long-term judgment.

Another argument is that clemency might weaken deterrence. But deterrence comes from the certainty of punishment, not the refusal to ever show mercy. People are not committing crimes because they hope for clemency decades later. Clemency encourages rehabilitation. It is rare, carefully reviewed, and granted only when the public is safe.

Granting clemency for someone who has transformed is also good for communities. Many people released after long sentences become mentors, volunteers, and advocates for youth. They carry hard-earned wisdom about consequences, choices, and responsibility. Their voices help prevent future crime. Their presence strengthens families and neighborhoods.

In the end, clemency is the courage to say that justice is not only about punishment — it is about recognizing when punishment has done all it can. It recognizes that justice is not frozen in time and is a way to correct sentences that no longer make sense in today’s world. When someone has spent most of their life in prison, grown into a mature adult, and shown they are no longer a threat, refusing them any chance at release becomes vengeance and cruelty.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has the constitutional authority to grant commutations to prevent such outcomes for the greater good: for safety, for fiscal responsibility, for moral integrity, and for the belief that people can change.

Michigan residents who wish to express their support for Efrén Paredes Jr.’s commutation of sentence can do so by sending the Honorable Governor Gretchen Whitmer an email using a digital action platform created by Amnesty International USA. You can also share the AIUSA campaign link across every network you touch (social media, email listservs, community chats, and text networks) and invite others to sign the action and share it widely. The action link can be accessed here: https://amnesty.quorum.us/campaign/158629/.