Cleotha Abston served 20 years of a 24 year sentence for kidnapping when he was offered early release from prison. Last week, he was charged with the abduction and murder of Eliza Fletcher.
Would four more years have completely reformed Abston's violent ways?
MICAH's Executive Director, Ayanna Watkins, doesn't think it would. She says when people are in jail, authorities have an "out of sight, out of mind" mentality. But Watkins believes more is to be done in jails.
Watkins joins this week's Behind the Headlines, along with Cardell Orrin of Stand for Children Tennessee and Josh Spickler of Just City. Guests discuss long jail sentences versus other actions to address the root problems that drive people to commit crimes.
In addition, guests talk about the national rise in crime and the needed response from government officials and community members.