Review: True Crime to Keep You Warm at Night
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 21, 2013
Released to Kill Again: The Stories of 7 Criminals Convicted of Murder, Released and Murdered Again is a riveting account of the failure of the justice system in countries around the world. Though most of the cases outlined focus on the United States in the last fifty years, the author investigates killers in the UK, Australia, and South America as well. In a time where most programming on television are reality shows, talent competitions, and crime dramas, this book gives a frightening look into failing prison systems that release hardened murderers. Reading this book may incite the curiosity our culture fosters about destruction, violence and mayhem, but it will also make the reader question how parole rules, prison systems, and rehabilitation works (or doesn't work) to protect the general public from repeat offenders. The most heinous is Pedro Lopez, who raped and murdered over 300 young women in three different countries. Though harrowing and disgusting, the conversation the author has with the reader impresses that the author doesn't celebrate the failure of those in charge of rehabilitating criminals, but rather calls for drastic change. The concept of "low risk" offenders needs to be dramatically reassessed if we want to protect the public from murderers prone to violence in and outside of prison walls. A great read for true crime fanatics, interesting for crime drama geeks (like this reviewer), and informative for the general public.