Pubdate: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2005 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Michael Carey REHABILITATION THE KEY Lindor Reynolds' column on the tragic death of Philippe Haiart highlights a very important message -- a total lack of understanding of the criminal justice system. On more than one occasion Ms. Reynolds has cried out for longer sentences for criminals, demanding that the courts do more to send a message to those who would seize control of our city. I doubt Ms. Reynolds has ever taken a criminology course, so I offer this free education. Harsher sentences do not deter criminals. Period. End of story. You could hand out a life sentence to everyone who gave you a funny look, and crime would not go down. Coincidentally, this has been tried in several states down south. The "three strikes and you're out" rule -- which allows a person to commit any three felonies before he or she is handed a life sentence, regardless of the crime -- has not had a tangible effect. In California, for example, the prisons now overflow with inmates, and yet crime rates have not gone down. In studies carried out in adjacent states where one has the death sentence and the other does not, the state with the death sentence never has a lower crime rate than the other state and usually, in fact, has a higher one. For years, study after study has concluded that harsher penalties do not cause crime to fall. Ms. Reynolds is right about one thing. The system as it is has problems. However, her archaic solution is not, and will never be the answer. Rehabilitation offers a much more successful alternative to incarceration, especially when it comes to gang violence. Putting a man in prison will only strengthen his ties to crime and criminal organizations. Taking him away from that world and showing him how to function without it will only help him to stay away from crime. It may not always work, but at least it's not guaranteed to fail. MICHAEL CAREY Winnipeg - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D