U.S. Sen. Jim Webb's Parade magazine article "Why we must fix our prisons" (March 29) has an important local angle. Webb laid out statistic after statistic showing the terrible stupidity of America's incarceration policies, especially when it comes to marijuana. One of the most powerful opponents of reforming marijuana laws has been northeast Indiana's Congressman Mark Souder, R-3rd. At least Souder's party is out of power now. I hope the Democrats will have the courage to establish the commission sought by Sen. Webb and give the American people sound alternatives to our destructive incarceration policies. An important step in that direction would be to stop filling prisons with pot smokers. Evan Davis Fort Wayne [end]
To the Editor: Your Aug. 23 editorial "Full Employment Prisons" points out that upstate legislators whose districts derive economic benefits from large prison populations may oppose reforming New York State's drug laws. But there is also reason for optimism. Despite this year's messy budget talks, Gov. George E. Pataki and the State Assembly have presented proposals to reform these drug laws, which are the country's harshest. If all concerned work in good faith toward a law that substantially reduces the number of nonviolent, low-level drug offenders in prison -- 22,000 last year -- comprehensive drug-law reform should pass this year. EVAN A. DAVIS President, Association of the Bar of the City of New York New York, Aug. 23, 2001 [end]
