Pubdate: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 Source: Tallahassee Democrat (FL) Copyright: 2003 Tallahassee Democrat. Contact: http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/444 Author: Harold Blessing Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1361/a08.html RECOVER PRISONERS, SAVE MONEY, TEAR DOWN PRISONS I see that Andrew T. Lefevre (Letters, Sept. 10) is pointing out that relatively minor reductions in the daily cost to house prison inmates initiated by the organizations he represents did result in annual savings to the taxpayers of some $66 million. Real money indeed. This is possible since the current Florida prison population is currently estimated at a bit over 77,000. The Tallahassee Democrat recently suggested editorially that through rehabilitation and education, recidivism could be reduced and a released individual, able to find employment, could have a chance at a good life. A program of rehabilitation likely could reduce the prison roster by 10,000, perhaps more. At an annual cost of $18,000, this would save the taxpayers $180 million plus the cost of maintaining all those prison cells. Lefevre feels the people of Tallahassee are happy that the prisons keep the bad guys off the streets. They might be even happier if we could turn a few of the bad guys into good guys and save $180 million to boot. We might even be able to tear down a few of Lefevre's prisons. Harold M. Blessing - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens