Some agencies may accept work experience in correction, parole services or court services in lieu of education.
Yet for the last three decades, with the philosophy of rehabilitation on the wane, the criminal justice system provided fewer resources for helping those on probation or parole, fewer services to inmates while in prison, and little in the way of assistance for ex-offenders re-entering society after being incarcerated.
Perhaps state Sen. Gloria Romero and attorney Charles Carbone of the advocacy group California Prison Focus can gather public support for a mandatory psychosocial intervention program that will prepare these "select" inmates for their pending release and require post-release supervision transition services within the parole and community services division.
His history included minimal sentences, early parole and community service in place of more severe sentences for earlier crimes.
Increasing the use of parole and community service and speeding the progress of cases through the criminal justice system are essential to improve the health of all prisoners, and to ensure fairer justice for all.
Sean's parents, Lynn and John Williams, who criticised the parole board, probation service and prison doctors who treated Hatch, said after his conviction: "Never again must a family have to suffer this experience and never again must Colin Hatch be released back into our community".
Some states are also embracing what is known as the "justice reinvestment" approach, under which they channel significant sums of money into improved parole or probation services while beefing up the drug treatment and mental health services that many ex-offenders need to stay out of trouble.
And with no significant investment in parole and probation services, criminals go right back to their old ways the moment they hit the streets again.
In addition, death penalty cases are extremely long and usually cost the state up to $2 million, adding to the expense of the death penalty compared with life with parole or preventative services.
