Pubdate: Sun, 20 Jul 2003 Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Copyright: 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Contact: http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/ Author: Felton Bohannon Note: Bohannon is a teacher at Hancock State Prison in Sparta. Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1049/a09.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States) INMATE KNEW THE RISKS Couldn't Cynthia Tucker have found about 6,999 better candidates as a focus for her article than John Bell? While I am highly sympathetic with Tucker's position, I, and most other people, have absolutely no use for people who work in corrections and still do crimes. They know the consequences for themselves when they do it. But the real harm people such as Bell do is foster bad morale among those of us who work in corrections and try to do a good job. Bell exhibited a deplorable inability to shoulder responsibility when he failed to use protection while having sex. Children should not be accidental additions to a man's list of bills to pay. Bell made choices that led him to a position in life that still does not justify turning to crime for financial reasons. He made a choice to sell drugs while employed by the system that gave him full knowledge of the consequences. If anything, his case strongly supports my contention that knowledge of punishment is no deterrent to crime. Still, he represents the position of every criminal who gets caught --- "I'm sorry . . . [that I got caught]." He is right where he needs to be. Felton Bohannon - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager