STOP SENDING NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS TO PRISON.

Editor, Commonwealth:

This is in regard to the April 24 article on bed space in Parchman.

Mississippi, stop sending non-violent drug offenders to prison to be locked
up with violent criminals.

This would free up thousands of beds and millions of dollars for our prison
system.

The article read, "Mississippi has the second-highest rate of incarceration
in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, and
there are no plans - or funds - to build new prisons."

This is absurd. The "war on drugs" has failed miserably, and I, as a
taxpaying citizen of this state, am sick to death of flushing billions of
much-needed dollars down the toilet.

This program has not worked for 60 years so, is anyone out there foolish
enough to think it's just going to miraculously start working now?

We, as voters, are in control of whom we elect and put into office. Laws
are interchangeable, and so are politicians.

Anita T. Mayfield, Nettleton