Lifers have committed the ultimate offense against society, but the vast majority are not calculating, experienced criminals. While there are serial killers and assassins, they are not the typical murderer. Lifers' values, lifestyles and careers are closer to those of law-abiding citizens. As a result, they seek an institutional environment that is peaceful, promising and productive and they are among the most likely to succeed on parole. Lifers as Symbols.
Lifers are high profile, captivating and symbolic.
If corrections is seen as capable of preparing and enabling a murderer to return to society as a responsible contributing citizen, then surely something must be working right. Today there are about 3500 offenders serving life sentences. Of this number, one-third are under parole supervision in the community for the rest of their lives. A grant from the Donner Foundation financed a representative group definition of the concept in 1990. In 1998, a blueprint for national implementation was developed.