INTENT OF LAW MISUSED IN BARRINGTON CASE

To the Editor of THE EAGLE:- As a frequent visitor to the area, I am aghast
at some of the comments I've been reading about the downtown parking lot
sting in Great Barrington. My understanding of the underlying facts is that
some of the young people are accused of selling very small amounts of
marijuana in a school zone. The school in question is a preschool in the
basement of a church across Route 7, behind a block of stores. No children
were ever approached or endangered - school was not even in session. In
fact, an adult undercover police officer initiated each transaction.

The application of the school zone penalty seems to be a misuse of the
intent of the law. Prosecutorial discretion is an option. A minimum of two
years in jail is not an appropriate punishment for these young people.
Who hasn't done something regrettably foolish and still gone on to lead a
productive life? Shouldn't jail always be the last resort for first time
nonviolent offenders? Let's seek alternative punishments that are
constructive rather than destructive.

WENDY ROSENBERG, Craryville, N.Y., June 3, 2005