Pubdate: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 Source: Bergen Record (NJ) Copyright: 2000 Bergen Record Corp. Contact: http://www.bergen.com/cgi-bin/feedback Website: http://www.bergen.com/ Author: Kathleen Ahearn, Wayne QUESTION OF PROPORTIONALITY "Passaic man admits assault on girl, 10" (Page L-1, Sept. 13) and "Cops raid marijuana crop in Wayne" (Page L-3, Sept. 13): Due to a plea bargain, a Passaic man who raped a 10-year-old girl (with evidence of DNA) can be sentenced to 15 years in prison but paroled in two to three years. A Garfield man who grows marijuana will probably get 10 to 20 years. I would ask the courts, "Where is the comparison?" A man has deprived a child of her innocence and gets out of prison in two or three years, probably to ruin another child's life. These children will live with this as long as they are on this Earth. Should not this man be given life in prison without parole, or at the very least the entire 15 years? Aren't children precious? It is against the law to grow marijuana, and the man who violated this law should be punished. But I think he should be punished far less severely than a man (or woman) who rapes a child. - --- MAP posted-by: John Chase