ALEXANDER'S LONG SENTENCE PRODUCT OF BAD STATE POLITICS

A quarter century ago, state legislators determined the way to voters'
hearts was to be tough on crime.

They got tough on crime. Voters liked that, so legislators got tougher, one
of the products being that drug dealers would pay dearly if authorities
caught them dealing within three miles of schools and certain other places.

Webster Alexander's 26-year sentence is a product of that politics. The
19-year-old Moulton resident pleaded guilty to selling small amounts of
marijuana four times to an undercover cop and possession, and hoped for the
best.

Wednesday, Circuit Judge Philip Reich delivered. He broke the sentence down
so the youth possibly serves only 365 days in the county jail. But the road
ahead still has land mines.

Mr. Alexander is to serve two years in the Lawrence County Jail and have
the other 24 years in prison suspended. The judge went further. Mr.
Alexander will spend one of those years on probation, and is to be enrolled
within 30 days in a work-release program. After that, he gets 10 years
supervised probation and must do 300 hours of community service.

All of this, of course, presumes Mr. Alexander makes no more missteps along
the way.

The youth could have received 130 years.

Selling drugs is against the law. Smoking marijuana can lead to addiction.
Thus, punishment for Mr. Alexander isn't at issue with most people. Rather,
it is the 26-year sentence and the impracticality of the law.

Alabama prisons are full of small-time drug dealers who come out of lockup
with less respect for the law than when they went in.

The Alabama Sentencing Commission is still working on legislation to stop
the foolishness, and voters are ready, too, because the 28,000 or so
inmates cost more than they want to afford.

And, throwing the book at these criminals doesn't work.