Pubdate: Thu, 29 May 2003 Source: Reporter, The (Fond du Lac, WI) Copyright: 2003 Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers Contact: http://www.wisinfo.com/thereporter/index.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2271 Author: Bruce Rideout Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n714/a09.html?2019 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) PRISONS NEED GUARDS FOR VIOLENT INMATES I am responding to Jeff DeVries who wrote about his job as a prison guard at Fox Lake Correctional Institution. Mr. DeVries is correct that prison guards are no different than anyone else. They have families, jobs, futures. He is correct that guarding violent criminals is a dangerous job. But a large proportion of inmates he guards are not violent. And contrary to Mr. DeVries contention that "no one is incarcerated for being a nice guy," many non-violent drug offenders are, in fact, nice guys - as nice as I am sure Jeff is. Many drug offenders are jailed for marijuana (cannabis). They had jobs, families and futures. But thanks to overzealous politicians, their prison guard union contributors and prison guards who would rather see thousands more Wisconsin citizens incarcerated so they may retain their jobs, we are among the leaders of America in per capita incarceration. Whether Mr. DeVries wants to believe it or not, his insistence that jobs overrule decency ends up costing all Wisconsinites hundreds of millions of dollars a year, yet violent crime remains relatively the same. Instead, we taxpayers, including Jeff, hand over hard-earned income to imprison thousands of non-violent marijuana offenders who are the least likely to commit violent, or any other, crime, except the insane drug laws against marijuana. Marijuana consumers are your neighbors, your friends, your police officers, your doctors and nurses, your teachers. They do not stand out from any one else. And for Jeff DeVries to suggest that these otherwise law-abiding citizens should bear the burden of keeping Jeff employed is most disturbing. Communities are in need of help in so many areas. Jeff, can't you see the community you live in needs you more than cannabis users need jail? Bruce Rideout Madison - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom