CHANGES NEEDED IN JUSTICE SYSTEM

I read with much interest the article in the Aug. 26 edition of the
Register, "6 million-plus in prison or on probation, parole." The question
every American should ask is, "Is our criminal justice system working, or
not working?"

Too many Americans think that there is only one part to the criminal
justice system, and that is to lock up those who violate the law and throw
the key away. This kind of attitude has caused many of our legislators and
those in criminal enforcement to adopt programs which provide a justice
based primarily on punishment; and it is evident that this is not working.

If we are going to solve the problem, there must be two parts to the
criminal justice system. One is punishment, and the other is prevention and
rehabilitation. At the rate we are going, if we continue to put most of our
money and effort on punishment, and ignore prevention and rehabilitation,
we may soon have more adults in jail than we have out of jail. This will
only benefit those in the jail construction business.

Our legislators need to make an immediate study of our criminal justice
system and make needed changes where necessary. In my opinion, we need more
and better programs to stop citizens from drinking and driving.

We need more and better programs to stop citizens from drug use. We need to
provide more and better recreational activities for our youth to keep them
off the street and out of trouble.

Some will say that I am a liberal who just wants bigger government and to
spend taxpayers' money on social programs. Well, I believe we will be a
better country if we spend money on social programs designed to make us
better people, rather than spending more money on jails to house prisoners.

Dorothy D. Bettis, Mobile