Pubdate: Tue, 21 Dec 2010
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Jodie Emery

PRISONER GIFTS

The people opposed to prisoner gifts are so hung up on their personal
grief and desire for revenge that they fail to appreciate the
suffering that numerous nonviolent offenders experience behind bars.

Not every prisoner is a coldhearted murderer. In fact, many have never
even hurt another person.

The heartless and vengeance-tinged complaints that such small, cheap
"gifts" are somehow meant to insult victims, while "coddling"
criminals, is offensive and reactionary.

The complainers should demand the federal government spend more on
victims services and crime prevention, and less on new prisons for
non-violent people.

Jodie Emery, Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Matt