Pubdate: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2009, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Tim Eymundson MORE PRISON TIME WILL STOP CRIMINALS To the Editor, Re: Violence must be addressed, Feb. 14 Police and prosecutors are not the problem - it is the judges and their soft hearts. Prisons are expensive to build and operate so criminals receive light sentences to leave more money in the system and keep the government's bottom line looking good. Want to save money? Legalize marijuana (the laws do more harm than the drug), tax it and double the fight on drugs that kill. Anyone who commits a crime with a gun gets an additional five years minimum added to their sentence. Any criminal or gang associate found near a gun gets five years for first offence 10 years for second and life for third. When a gun is fired, anyone with gunpowder residue on them gets 10 years, no excuses. Then these punks will think twice about carrying a gun. Laws should protect the people, not make money for lawyers and tie up court. Crime can be cleaned up if society wants. Let's hope it is before another innocent bystander is killed. Tim Eymundson via e-mail - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin