Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jun 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: Jim Horning

DON'T BLAME COPS FOR INCARCERATIONS

I am responding to Bruce Rideout and Dave Michon. I am a corrections 
officer like Jeff DeVries. Both writers felt too many "non-violent" drug 
offenders are being incarcerated.

Mr. Rideout wrote, "Marijuana consumers are your neighbors, your 
friends...." Sorry, Bruce, you're wrong. My friends don't get stoned. We 
don't abuse drugs. We don't condone illegal drug use. Pot is illegal in 
Wisconsin, and no matter how you rationalize your feelings or activities, 
smoking dope is wrong. Period.

I didn't write, or pass any of the legislation regarding marijuana. I 
didn't prosecute, convict or sentence any of the law breakers. I simply 
supervise the felons after they're convicted. Please don't project 
misplaced animosity toward our judicial system onto me. I wasn't part of 
the conviction process. I am not responsible for the ever increasing inmate 
population. (Actually, the ones responsible are those who seldom seem to 
accept the responsibility - the convicted felons themselves. If they didn't 
violate the law, they wouldn't be incarcerated.)

In my almost 12 years with the Department of Corrections, I've seen a very 
limited number of inmates whose sole conviction and reason for 
incarceration is THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). Almost always, 
if they're in prison for THC, it was a subsequent offense (a violation of 
probation or parole) following a previous conviction. Of the 65 inmates in 
my charge in my housing unit, none are in solely for a THC offense. Only 
two are in for possession with intent to deliver THC, and one is also 
guilty of manufacture and delivery of cocaine. Both of them were violations 
of a condition of probation or parole. If they weren't already guilty of 
something else, the THC violation probably wouldn't have gotten them prison 
time.

Jim Horning

Fond du Lac
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