PUNISHMENT MORE IMPORTANT THAT REHABILITATION?

Dear Editor: Thomas Bryant, 68, was placed on the Supervised
Intensive Restitution program after serving over six years.

SIR required him to report weekly to a SIR officer and pay a monthly
fee to the state and has a curfew of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to be in his
home. The SIR officer may call or come by at anytime. There is random
drug testing. Working in the community is required. If paying jobs
are not available, volunteer work is still required. If you cannot
pay your medical expenses, you return to prison and are removed from
SIR.

Bryant's first payment, September 2001, was mailed to the Mobile
Courthouse, which was returned with a note to mail payments to
Montgomery Courthouse. Bryant assumed Mobile Court knew he was on the
SIR program.

Bryant worked at his church and at Safe Harbor as a volunteer. Safe
Harbor is a non-profit family support organization to help at-risk
youth. As a former attorney, he worked with the leaders to apply for
grants.

May 9, in the Mobile Register, an avalanche of prejudiced hostility
began against Bryant. He is a loving, kind husband and father. Bryant
was on the SIR program with no problems when Gov. Siegelman had him
placed back in the system.

No one talked with the SIR officer, the church, or Safe Harbor. He is
a good example of what the SIR program could accomplish with the
non-violent.

Is punishment more important that rehabilitation?

Mrs. Thomas Bryant

Birmingham