Pubdate: Sun, 27 Apr 2003
Source: Greenwood Commonwealth (MS)
Copyright: 2003 Greenwood Commonwealth
Contact:  http://www.gwcommonwealth.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1541
Author: Anita T. Mayfield
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

STOP SENDING NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS TO PRISON.

Editor, Commonwealth:

This is in regard to the April 24 article on bed space in Parchman.

Mississippi, stop sending non-violent drug offenders to prison to be locked 
up with violent criminals.

This would free up thousands of beds and millions of dollars for our prison 
system.

The article read, "Mississippi has the second-highest rate of incarceration 
in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, and 
there are no plans - or funds - to build new prisons."

This is absurd. The "war on drugs" has failed miserably, and I, as a 
taxpaying citizen of this state, am sick to death of flushing billions of 
much-needed dollars down the toilet.

This program has not worked for 60 years so, is anyone out there foolish 
enough to think it's just going to miraculously start working now?

We, as voters, are in control of whom we elect and put into office. Laws 
are interchangeable, and so are politicians.

Anita T. Mayfield, Nettleton
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl