Pubdate: [Mon, 01 Apr 1996]
Source: Sacromento Bee (CA)
Author: Annette S. French

We, as a country and a society, are showing some very ugly tendencies. The
purpose of placing someone in prison should be to remove a danger to
society. Our purpose has become retribution.

Mandatory minimums and 3 strike laws have proven to be a disaster.  We are
throwing people in prison for the rest of their lives for non-violent drug
offenses.

One major problem with locking up non-violent drug offenders (aside from
the ruined lives), is that violent criminals are often let loose to
mitigate overcrowding. Our representatives' answer?  The Prison Litigation
Reform Bill.

These reforms were designed to prevent effective prison overcrowding
litigation. But rather than attacking the real problem of prison
overcrowding, the authors of this bill want to make overcrowding worse.

I'm no bleeding heart liberal, but throwing political prisoners
(non-violent drug offenders) in with murderers and rapists is insane. Let's
solve the problem of prison overcrowding by not incarcerating people for
taking a politically incorrect substance.

Annette French