PRISON CUTS CRIME

The population of U.S. prisons and jails increased by 900 inmates
weekly during 2003 and 2004, or from a total of 2 million to 2.1
million prisoners, during a one-year period, as reported by the
Federal Bureau of Justice on April 24.

For those social activists, "enlightened" multiculturalists and civil
rights extremists who are already whining about the recent increase in
our prison and jail population: The Bureau of Justice also clearly
confirms that America's crime rate has steadily fallen over the past
10 years as its prison population has risen proportionately. With
increasing numbers of felons receiving prison sentences, it is logical
to assume that the incidence of felonies might fall. Until recent
mandatory sentencing increases were affected, a high incidence of
recidivism relentlessly stoked higher crime rates.

To those legions of criminals' advocates who continue whimpering and
wailing about incarceration of felons: 10 minus one equals nine, not
11. The math is there. Read it, wake up and get real.

Our republic is safer because of a tightened criminal justice system
and equally tight (and enlarged) prisons.

RICHARD BOWERS

Sarasota