Pubdate: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 Source: Maui News, The (HI) Contact: 2003 The Maui News Website: http://www.mauinews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259 Author: David Brusacoram Note: To read about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii CHAIN GANGS MIGHT DETER DRUG, PETTY CRIMES I think the best way to take a bite out of crime is for the Legislature to take off the gloves, get off their butts and enact some get-tough legislation requiring first-time drug offenders and petty criminals to do at least a week on a chain gang ("Cool Hand Luke" style in the 1970s movie). Then upright citizens and all the chain gangers' friends will get to see and take careful note of the convicts' mugs while they are working hard in the sun. At the same time the civilized idea will be driven home that crime does not pay. Second-time offenders and anytime drug pushers could be required to do a mandatory minimum of five years on the chain gang. The cost of implementation would be minimal. They could live in surplus Army tents surrounded by a razor wire fence just as they do in Phoenix's Maricopa County under Sheriff Arpaio. If Judge Joel August could be somehow miraculously relieved of duty and the above were implemented, Maui just might see a drastic lowering of crime. David Brusacoram Chisholm, Minn. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk