Pubdate: Mon, 02 Sep 2002 Source: Post-Crescent, The (Appleton, WI) Copyright: 2002 The Post-Crescent Contact: http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1443 PRISONERS HAVE ONLY THEMSELVES TO BLAME This is in answer to a letter that appeared in the Aug. 18 P-C from Anthony P. Robinson, a prison inmate. Here we go again. People in jails or prisons are ready to blame someone else for their being where they are. Hello, out there. Do not blame district attorneys, police, lawyers, parents or anyone else for why people are incarcerated. They put themselves there. We were all given the same rights at birth of freedom of choice. When the wrong choices are made, we as individuals, made them. Wisconsin taxpayers don't enjoy paying to have all the new facilities built, but since we do not have the death penalty what else can we do? I am not saying I am for the death penalty, but we can not leave these people run the street and risk someone else being hurt or killed. As far as who is going to take care of them when they are out and unable to collect Social Security, this should have been thought of before they ended up where they are. Also, Wisconsin offers wonderful education, but a lot of people decide to even drop out of high school and then if they get in trouble it is everyone else's fault. The good Lord gave us this world to live in and take care of, and it is just too bad little children have to be on alert all the time in this day and age. They can't just be kids and have fun being young, but have to look out for the monsters out there. We taxpayers pay for all the education out there and now pay for the prisoners' board and keep. So, my advice to prisoners is, get educated while you are in there and maybe down the road you will see the light. Pat Beckerson, Neenah - --- MAP posted-by: Beth