TRUTH IN SENTENCING CRIMINALS MUST BE PUNISHED, PERIOD

The first thought that came to mind after reading the Nov. 21 headline
"1.8 billion dollars" to keep up our tough truth in sentencing was:
Great. People who commit crimes need to be punished.

I read about the poor 47-year-old man who was dying and couldn't get
out of prison and what a tragedy it was for this drunken driver who
was sent to prison twice. His family is so devastated. Where was his
family when he got drunk and behind the wheel?

How about the 57-year-old man who was in possession of 4 ounces of
pot. The article tried to paint him as a victim. He had no prior
record. So what.

And the 10th-grade dropout who made a "stupid mistake" and got 10
years for armed robbery. He was broke and out of work and thought
holding up a Walgreens was acceptable. The article reported that the
gun was broke and empty. So what.

I hear the argument that stiff sentences for drug dealers don't reduce
crime because someone will fill in their shoes because the demand for
drugs is high. It's crime and needs to be punished. Keep putting
criminals in prison. Ask the families of their victims how much the
lives of the loved ones a worth in a civilized society.

Greg Polacheck

Milwaukee