Pubdate: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 Source: Lansing State Journal (MI) Copyright: 2006 Lansing State Journal Contact: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/contactus/newsroom/letter.html Website: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/232 Author: Dolores Cook PRUNE PRISONS You'll never see a first-time, low-level, non-violent offender locked up in the Michigan prison system year slip through the cracks and be paroled. But you will see violent offenders released, only to allegedly kill three people - as in the recent failure of the system that allowed Patrick Selepak, who is charged with murder, out on parole. If legislators would modify the policy of keeping these non-violent prisoners locked up year after year, there would be more cell space for the violent offenders. It would be an economic advantage to allow these non-violent offenders out on electronic monitors so they could work and pay taxes back to the state. Instead, the state pays countless millions to keep these non-violent prisoners incarcerated. DOLORES COOK Mason - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPF Florida)