PROBATION HAS SUCCESS STORIES, TOO

Re: The problem with probation.

The group of articles published on June 13 on probation in Florida was
edifying, but one-sided. Your coverage, especially the three sidebars
on specific offenders, emphasized repeat probation violators with a
history of violent crime. These cases surely represent failures of the
probation system.

But your own statistics indicate that of the nearly 200,000 men and
women on probation in Florida, about 120,000 have no violations.

These cases are the arguable successes of Florida's probation system,
people who made a serious mistake but are trying to mend their ways.
More mention of them would have balanced your reporting.

As a lifelong student of criminal justice, I fear that such one-sided
stories will fuel a simplistic wish to "get tough" on probation
violators, by passing draconian legislation that ties the hands of
sentencing judges. This kind of legislation might prevent cases like
those you featured in your coverage - but how many of the 120,000
success stories would it also prevent?

Robert Batey, professor, Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg