CALIFORNIA CONVICT RELEASE IS A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP

The Supreme Court order that California must release prisoners in
order to reduce overcrowding calls attention again to why so many
criminals are put behind bars in the U.S.

There is ample evidence from other countries that crime isn't reduced
when imprisonment is so liberally used as punishment. Our system of
criminal justice should focus on imprisoning those whose crimes make
them a threat to society in ways that will best be prevented by time
in jail.

There are other means of punishment and restitution that can be, for
some crimes, more effective than continuing to be so reliant on
incarceration.

It's time for a fresh look at which crimes should be punishable by
prison time.

Chris Bowers

Naperville, Ill.