That's a pretty loaded question, there. I think, more than anything, it's about the actions put behind the words. You could talk all day about how good you are at playing basketball, but people won't believe it until they watch you play, right?
Redemption, I'm sure you've figured out from your post here, is a lot more complicated than basketball...but the same idea still applies.
Everyone deserves the chance...some people just choose not to take it or give up along the way.