PRUNE PRISONS

You'll never see a first-time, low-level, non-violent offender locked
up in the Michigan prison system year slip through the cracks and be
paroled. But you will see violent offenders released, only to
allegedly kill three people - as in the recent failure of the system
that allowed Patrick Selepak, who is charged with murder, out on parole.

If legislators would modify the policy of keeping these non-violent
prisoners locked up year after year, there would be more cell space
for the violent offenders. It would be an economic advantage to allow
these non-violent offenders out on electronic monitors so they could
work and pay taxes back to the state.

Instead, the state pays countless millions to keep these non-violent
prisoners incarcerated.

DOLORES COOK

Mason