NEW PRISONS ARE NOT ENOUGH

Crime is a problem in North Carolina. If you don't believe it, consider the
following information:

* The state is in the process of building three new prisons.

* Financing has been approved for three more prisons.

* It is estimated, by the N.C. Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission,
that there will be 44,094 inmates by 2013 - with prison capacity for 37,743.

"Last year, the commission revised its estimates upward because convictions
for murder, robberies and drug trafficking rose by roughly 20 percent," the
Associated Press reports. "The commission took the same tack this year
because of a 19 percent jump in habitual-felon convictions - the so-called
three strikes penalty - and a roughly 5 percent jump in drug trafficking
convictions. ...

"... Next year, state legislators are expected to consider tougher
penalties to combat domestic violence and a rising number of
methamphetamine operations. But tougher penalties often lead to more
inmates or longer sentences, and budget shortfalls make it harder to pay
the additional cost of housing them."

So, it seems, more people are committing crimes ... more people are
convicted and sent to jail ... and, yet, with the lack of space and the
cost of housing prisoners some people are receiving early paroles.

As the AP story went on to say, "The New York Times reported last month
that about half the states have reduced some sentences or made it easier
for inmates to win parole to help balance their budgets this year."

Unfortunately, it seems like a no-win situation for everyone but the criminals.

It's no wonder that some criminals are willing to take chances after
already having served jail time.

It's the taxpayers who are the victims of criminal activity. Not only might
they suffer through the crime, then they must bear the burden of paying
more tax money to build more prisons - or suffer the consequences and risk
the chance of these offenders being released back into society before
they're spent proper time paying for their crimes.

Anyone who believes there is no crime problem in our state had better think
again.