FOLLOW EXAMPLE OF THE DUTCH

I'm writing about the recent letter "Corrections: Release inmates to
save money" (The News, Dec. 25).

While Connecticut and many other states are trying to figure out how
to close their massive budget shortfalls, the Dutch in the Netherlands
are trying to figure out what to do with their closed prisons.

While the Netherlands has a total population of about 16.5 million, it
has only about 12,000 prisoners. On the other hand, the United States
has more than 2.3 million prisoners.

If my math is correct, we in the United States have 18.2 times the
Dutch general population and 191.6 times their prison population.

Why the glaring disparity? I suggest it's our drug
policies.

In the Netherlands, adult citizens can use, buy and possess small
amounts of marijuana without criminal sanctions. In the United States,
adult citizens are subject to arrest and jail or prison for buying,
selling or possessing various amounts of marijuana.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.