ENDING THE CRISIS IN STATE PRISONS:

When I read David Wilson's Nov. 23 Commentary article titled "Number of
blacks in prison is a wake-up call," I was both saddened and appalled to
learn that in just 20 years there has been more than a 500 percent increase
in the number of black men behind bars, while only a 30 percent increase in
the number going to college.

It was interesting to me how Wilson mentioned that the black prisoners
doing work on his property were in prison for possessing the minimum amount
of marijuana, because reading that made me think about an editorial Nov. 19
about the need for more prison guards. One of the two things listed as
driving prisons to this crisis point was a rapidly growing prison
population, fueled by foolish, get-tough-on-crime laws.

I wonder how many points from a Tim Roche Commentary article about the
female prisoner population in Alabama (also on Nov. 23) could be applied to
the thousands of black men in prison.

I agree with what he was saying about corrections officials needing to
develop solid release plans for inmates, consisting of housing, substance
abuse counseling, job placement assistance, mental health service and
necessary support.

Of course, this is Alabama, where education funding has been severely cut,
the prisons are dangerously understaffed and the jails are run more cheaply
than neighboring states.

Marquelon Sigler

Wenonah