THE NUMBERS SPEAK

I don't want to come across as prejudiced, but I feel it's time to speak
out. It seems the state or the city gets accused of racial bias every time
"statistics" show that our law-enforcement agents or court systems act
prejudicially ("Habitual-offender law racially biased, blacks charge," July
22).

This is the same song we heard when the state Highway Patrol was accused of
singling out minorities in traffic violations. A study proved definitively
that this was not the case.

The purpose of the law is to discourage repeat felonies. That doesn't seem
unfair. One would think that a person convicted of three felonies would get
the message and think hard before committing a crime again. It is not
punishing someone for past crimes per se but attempting to make enough of
an impact on these habitual criminals to discourage continued criminal acts.

I will be interested in seeing the results of an examination of the
figures. I am beginning to think Velma Thomas' concerns are misplaced. Her
husband was charged for a fourth time with felony possession of cocaine,
knowing that he was committing a felony that would bring on the
habitual-offender law.

Is it possible that Mrs. Thomas' statistics show an overwhelming percentage
of blacks being prosecuted under this law because white people learned
their lesson before they fell into this category?

I find it hard to believe that in this age of constant scrutiny from
civil-rights groups a prosecutor would single out black people.

MARGARET J. KOONTS

Lexington.