Date: Wed Jul 10, 1996
To: NEWSWEEK EDITOR
MBX: letters@newsweek.com
Subject: Paying your debt - twice
Dear Editor,
I'm a conservative, both on social issues and economic issues, but the article entitled "paying your debt - twice" gets my tail feathers in an uproar.
The last thing we need is for ex-criminals to come out of jail owing a big debt. Lets see, a 3 year stint in the slammer in California might cost over $78,000! A person who has "paid his debt to society" gets released and finds out his "debt to society" hasn't been paid at all! This is nonsense!
Here's the common sense way to deal with criminals:
1. Throw out all the "3 strikes you're out laws". Some criminals need to be locked up for life after 1 crime, such as premeditated murder. In other cases, maybe the crimes do not justify a life sentence. The Judge should decide what the sentence is, based on guidlines.
2. Throw out all parole. This is the reason most of us are fed up the criminal justice system. The judge's sentence is what the criminal should be held too. Letting criminals out for "good behavior" in ridiculous. We EXPECT good behavior. The "problem" criminal who cause fights, etc, should have months ADDED to their sentence.
3. After the criminal's debt to society is paid in full, he should be considered free and clear, with all rights restored (yes, even the right to keep and bear arms).
An ex-criminal who has just left prison may not have much, he may in fact be destitute, but at least he should be able to leave knowing his debt is paid!
John Morales