PEOPLE NEED HELP, NOT MORE JAILS

I read with disgust that Solicitor General John Les is pushing for
more jails rather than examining the underlying causes that result in
people being locked up.

Society will always have those who refuse to live within the bounds of
acceptable behaviour and they deserve a prison berth. Perhaps we could
take a page from the Singapore public safety book and turn some of the
young offenders around early.

Then there are those who possibly have a mental problem. Jail is not
the appropriate institution for them, but the majority of mental
hospitals have been closed, presumably for budget reasons.

In wealthy British Columbia, we have more children, proportionately,
living below the poverty line than anywhere else in Canada.

Dysfunctional and impoverished families, often with a single parent,
coupled with the lack of good educational opportunities and support
services are much more costly for us in the long run. Most in the
jails came from such families.

Unfortunately, unenlightened politicians usually see the present
problems and rarely the long-term objectives for all members in our
society.

Tom Good,

Qualicum