Pubdate: Sun, 09 Nov 2003
Source: Florida Today (Melbourne, FL)
Copyright: 2003 Florida Today
Contact:  http://www.flatoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532
Author: Jessina Carr

MAKE PRISONS MORE TERRIBLE

I agree with a recent letter that argued a miserable jail works best.

While the American people feel it is their responsibility to rehabilitate 
prisoners back into the mainstream of life, many people seem to think 
prisoners should be entertained with television, radio and the use of a 
telephone.

At the same time, taxpayers feed them, clothe them and give them a hot 
shower and three square meals a day. Furthermore, we also give medical care 
and a nice air-conditioned and heated building. We also thought it best to 
give prisoners an education, at no expense to them.

These prisoners have been charged with stealing from us and filling our 
streets with illegal drugs, not to mention raping our children and killing 
our families. This is how we punish them -- by giving them the luxuries of 
home.

Meanwhile, outside the prison walls we find America's grandparents and war 
veterans with no food or medicine, no air-conditioning or heat. They cannot 
afford these things.

Our veterans think we have forgotten about them. They fought for our 
country but many do not have the luxuries of our prisoners.

In conclusion, American jails need to be miserable places and we need to 
reconstruct our jails to fit the crimes of those housed there.

Jessina Carr, Titusville
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart