Pubdate: Tue, 03 May 2005 Source: Bradenton Herald (FL) Copyright: 2005 Bradenton Herald Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradentonherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58 Author: Richard Bowers PRISON CUTS CRIME The population of U.S. prisons and jails increased by 900 inmates weekly during 2003 and 2004, or from a total of 2 million to 2.1 million prisoners, during a one-year period, as reported by the Federal Bureau of Justice on April 24. For those social activists, "enlightened" multiculturalists and civil rights extremists who are already whining about the recent increase in our prison and jail population: The Bureau of Justice also clearly confirms that America's crime rate has steadily fallen over the past 10 years as its prison population has risen proportionately. With increasing numbers of felons receiving prison sentences, it is logical to assume that the incidence of felonies might fall. Until recent mandatory sentencing increases were affected, a high incidence of recidivism relentlessly stoked higher crime rates. To those legions of criminals' advocates who continue whimpering and wailing about incarceration of felons: 10 minus one equals nine, not 11. The math is there. Read it, wake up and get real. Our republic is safer because of a tightened criminal justice system and equally tight (and enlarged) prisons. RICHARD BOWERS Sarasota - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFLorida)