TOO MANY LOCKED UP

Georgia over-incarcerates. Contrary to what District Attorney Gray Conger
argues, over 50 percent of the people incarcerated Georgia's prisons are
there for non-violent offenses. We need more alternatives to incarceration,
such as drug courts, pre-trial release programs, community service and
transitional centers. We could save money by redirecting funds spent on
incarceration to education, crime prevention and drug treatment, which have
been shown to reduce crime and recidivism, not to mention save taxpayer
dollars.

Crime prevention efforts such as education, drug treatment and job and
community development will save money in the long run by avoiding the need
for incarceration later. In light of our state's budget crisis, we need
fiscally responsible solutions to crime that will enhance public safety,
rather than the pseudo-solution of over-incarceration. We must become smart
on crime.

SARA J. TOTONCHI, Atlanta