REFORM PRISON SYSTEM

To The Editor:

The Legislature voted down any progressive reform for our prison system. It
voted against early releases, decreased sentencing for drug offenses and
electronic monitoring. It costs $35,000 annually to lock up a person for
drug possession. We could instead have electronic monitoring to allow a
prisoner to remain in his home and report for work daily, train in our
present vocational rehab programs for gainful employment and work in
supervised community service.

Our present system is bankrupting the state and the cycle keeps repeating
as the prisoner is returned to society unprepared for employment in an
atmosphere where employers are reluctant to hire them, especially without
job skills. The Legislature needs to come into the 21st century with new
solutions to our prison problems by making changes in the laws. The
punishment should fit the crime.

The status quo serves no one. Furloughing Department of Corrections
employees is a poor solution and does not address the root problem.

Judy Hughes, City