ATTORNEY GENERAL SEEKS TRUTH IN SENTENCING

Pryor Discusses His Mentoring Program With Rotary Members

Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor told members of the Rotary Club of
Jasper Tuesday that he was tired of the "lies in sentencing" that takes
place in the state's courtrooms and his office has made sentencing reform
one of its most ambitious projects.

"I believe in truth in sentencing. I believe when a violent criminal
receives a sentence, he ought to serve the sentence. But in Alabama we have
a system that I call lies in sentencing," Pryor said. "If you are sentenced
to a term of imprisonment for say 15 years -- for a very serious crime --
you won't serve more than one-third of the sentence. It's a lie. It's a lie
to the victim of crime. Our system ought to be honest."

Pryor indicated that his office would like to see fair and rational
sentencing that fits the crime and treats all offenders the same regardless
of their race, economic welfare, social status, or location in the state.

In light of the problems faced by the state Department of Corrections, the
backlog of inmates in county jails, and prison overcrowding, the Attorney
General believes honest and rational sentencing will allow the state to
assure that violent criminals are kept off the street.

"We ought to ensure that our scarce prison resources are being utilized to
incarcerate violent, dangerous, repeat offenders," he said. "But for a lot
of other offenders -- first-time, non-violent, some drug offenders -- there
are much more effective and much less costly alternative punishment
programs that preserve those scarce prison resources but also ensure public
safety."

Pryor is hoping the formation of the Permanent Sentencing Commission will
allow Alabama to join 20 other states that have been able to implement
standards of truth in sentencing. The commission will develop
recommendations to be forwarded for consideration by the Alabama legislature.

"The commission has been the key in the states that have been able to
accomplish the goals we outlined when I became Attorney General," Pryor
said. "Hopefully, we can reach a consensus of the legal community and that
will foster success in the legislature."

Another growing concern for the Attorney General's office is the growing
number of juvenile crimes. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's
1998 Kids Count data, between the years 1985 and 1995, Alabama's juvenile
violent crime arrest rate rose at a rate of 144 percent.

For that reason, Pryor has started an initiative called "Mentor Alabama,"
which hopes to recruit 2,002 volunteers by the end of the year 2002 to
reach at-risk youth.

"If you want to make sure that we don't have an adult crime problem in the
future, you've got to focus on the juvenile crime rate now," Pryor said.
"About six percent of juveniles offenders that commit more than 60 percent
of juvenile crime, and they are the most likely to become adult offenders."

Pryor said that he had visited with youth from all over the state who had
turned to a life of crime and that many of their situations stem from a
deficiency of love, support, and discipline in the home.

"With the breakdown of the family in American culture there has been a cost
- -- and you can see that cost in any juvenile detention center," the
Attorney General said. "When kids turn to a life of crime they have to be
held accountable for that. They are responsible for their wrongdoings and
if we hope to save them then we have to show them the tough love that will
hopefully turn them away from a life of crime.

"But there are a lot of other kids who haven't made that choice yet; a lot
of at-risk teens without proper adult supervision who we need to reach
before they turn to a life of crime," he added.

According to the National Mentoring Partnership, mentored teens are 46
percent less likely to get into drugs, 59 percent more likely to get better
grades, and 73 percent more likely to set higher goals for themselves.

"If we can take just one hour out of our schedule each week to help provide
a role model for a young person, we can make a difference," Pryor said.

For additional information about the Attorney General's "Mentor Alabama"
program, call toll-free 1-888-356-2400.