In mid January of 2008, the Puerto Rico legislature publicly honored a small group of inmates for their participation in the restoration of some Capitolio furniture. Among the men honored was one Daniel Rivera Fonseca, a sexual predator that is serving a ten year sentence out of which he will actually serve only half, five years. The pervert was convicted nearly five years ago for molesting his then four year old daughter. 

After having abused his own child he threatened to kill her and her mom if she told anyone what he had done. When the media denounced the monumental, and may we add, moral stupidity of honoring such a person Aponte, the lead legislator at la Camara de Representantes said that there was nothing wrong because it was all part of the rehabilitation process to which Rivera was entitled as a convict.

The speaker for the Correction Administration, Sigfredo Rosado also echoed the same sentiments. Rivera has the right to be rehabilitated and this homenaje is an important part of that process.

Now let’s step back for a moment and look at what is happening here. For one thing, why was this man sentenced to only ten years for such a barbaric and abusive act? Why is he leaving prison after serving only half of that original sentence, this coming August? The answer to these two questions is one and the same. Legal technicalities allow the so-called justices system to play around with words and pervert their meaning. In legalese a year is not really a year it is less, far less. An obscene instant bonus system allows inmates to have weeks, months and even years shaved off their original sentences for no good reason. It is automatic. Originally the idea was to allow inmates to earn this discounted time with work and workshops. They needed to provide evidence that they were in fact being rehabilitated. This was done away with for the benefit of no one. Undeserving inmates are put on the street prematurely. Victims are exposed to their attackers needlessly so that the state can save some dollars.

The arguments presented by Aponte and Rosado are also very questionable, to say the least. The man is a sexual predator and a pedophile. How exactly does restoring furniture help a man like this? Can you imagine trying to rehabilitate a car thief by teaching him how to cook? Rivera was not arrested for selling a couple of joints to an undercover cop to raise rent money. He was convicted of abusing his own child and threatening her and her mom with bodily harm.