Do you think she’d kill someone if she lived in a stable environment?

If you or I knew the answer to that question, we’d be either famous or rich, possibly both.

Assuming her story is true (and I bring that up because of all the experienced criminal justice professionals I have met over the years who all say the same thing — — when a convicted criminal tells their “story”, don’t assume it’s true) I would say the preponderance of evidence is that with a stable, nurturing environment as a youth, no, she would not.

However, there are no shortage of murderers who come from stable, nurturing environments. So it cannot be ruled out of hand.

But, more broadly put, society’s first priority in any criminal case is to protect itself, not the perpetrator. So, at her trial when she was convicted, the judge was obligated — — obligated — to consider the risk a light sentence posed to society first, and the societal conditions that led to her committing that crime well down the line.

That all said, the woman is clearly literate and intelligent, and therefore she has many avenues by which she can lead a fulfilling life. She is more fortunate than most in her situation.