Pubdate: Tue, 06 Mar 2007
Source: Salisbury Post (NC)
Copyright: 2007 Post Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.salisburypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/380
Author: Mark Bryant

STATE PUTTING WRONG PEOPLE IN PRISON

Regarding the Feb. 22 editorial, "Get tough on crime": N.C. laws are 
some of the toughest in the country. The problem is they are locking 
up addicts, not criminals. Ninety percent of all crimes are alcohol- 
or drug-related - either under the influence when the crime was 
committed or committing the crime to get the drugs.

And the other problem is literacy. Seventy-five percent of those 
arrested can't read or write. How can they get a job if they can't 
fill out an application?

Common sense does not run rampant in the Department of Corrections, 
especially here at Piedmont Correctional. So make up your mind: Do 
you want to pay to build more prisons, or schools? You don't have 
enough funds to staff the Ethan H. Shive Elementary School next year, 
but it doesn't seem to be a problem staffing the prison.

You can't have your cake and eat it, too, unless you run the prison. 
Dictatorship is not all bad, as long as you are the dictator.

- - Mark Bryant

Piedmont Correctional
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom