Since Vroom wanted stories, here are a few, this doesn’t even cover lenient sentencing, just recent offences committed while on some type of release:
In 1998 while on parole for the sexual assault of an Abbotsford woman, Dean Zimmerman was sent back to jail for severally beating his pregnant wife. In 2005, after having been granted early release once again by the Canadian National Parole Board, Zimmerman sexually assaulted a 24-year-old Edmonton woman by holding her captive, tying her up and sexually assaulting her for nine hours.
In 1994 Franklin Shane Dorfer was convicted of breaking into the home of a 69 year old Victoria woman, raping and robbing her, and breaking into a second home and robbing a 71 year old woman. Three years later while out on parole Franklin Dofer was jailed for six months for a Port Coquitlam break-and-enter. Back on the streets in 2004 Dofer was sentenced to two years in jail for break-and-enter and possession of stolen property. Once again, Dofer received early parole and is now accused of breaking into the home of an 89-year-old woman in Nanaimo and raping her.
In 2005 Brian Edward Abrosimo was arrested for the sexual assault of an 11 year old girl, only days after finishing a six month conditional sentence (served in the community) for sexual assault. Abrosimo has a court history that spans 18 years and includes two previous sexual assaults, as well as numerous other theft, assault and firearm convictions.
In 2004 sexual offender Michael William Gardiner, was released on statutory release in Hamilton. Thirteen days later he sexual assaulted a Hamilton woman, stabbing her multiple times.
In 1999 Clifford Howdle was released on statutory release in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Upon his release Howdle raped 3 women over a 36 hour period.
In 2004, convicted sex offender Charles Jamieson left his halfway house in East Vancouver. He then raped five people in Vancouver over a ten day period before being apprehended.
In 1999 Trevor James Fontaine was sentenced to 5 years in prison for sexual assault and attempted murder. Out on parole four years into his sentence, Fontaine befriended Vanderhoof woman Misty Franklin then stabbed her in the back of the neck. The 24 year old mother of two is now a quadriplegic kept alive by a ventilator.
In 1988 Eli Ulayuk was convicted of manslaughter. After being granted full parole in 2004 he murdred his Yellowknife parole officer Louise Pargeter during their first meeting.
In 2004 Eric Fish walked away from a Vernon halfway house. Six weeks later, 75 year old Bill Abramenko was beaten during a home invasion and later died in hospital. Fish is also the prime suspect in the murder of another Vernon resident, 60-year-old Jeffrey Drake who was killed two weeks after Fish left the halfway house, his body found in Okanagan Lake a month later.
In 1997 convicted killer and young offender Serena Nicotine was transferred to a community home in Saskatoon while part way through her sentence. Nicotine along with Catherine McKenzie, another young offender, murdered homeowner Helen Montgomery (who had no knowledge that the girls were violent offenders) by hitting her over the head with a cast iron frying pan and stabbing her 15 times.
The Statistics
Six out of every 10 convicted offenders aged 18 to 25 in 1999/2000 had at least one previous conviction, either in adult court since 1994/95 or in youth court since 1991/92, according to a new pilot study of court-based recidivism in seven provinces and two territories. Among these repeat offenders, 28% had one prior conviction, while 72% had multiple prior convictions.
9 out of 10 offenders sentenced to a federal corrections facility (meaning at least a two year sentence) had at least one prior conviction either in adult or youth court.