JUSTICE FOR YOUNG CRIMINALS

I could hardly hold back the tears reading Avis Brock's letter in The
Times-Picayune, "Families of jailed youths want Tallulah closed" (May 6).

These children are not in Tallulah for cutting class or littering. These
are criminals, no matter what their ages may be.

Ms. Brock mentioned that 70 percent are imprisoned for nonviolent crimes.
If she thinks selling drugs is a nonviolent crime, guess again. Look at all
the drug-related murders that have occurred over the past 30 years.

If these "children" had a basic respect for people, property and obeyed the
laws of the land, they wouldn't be in Tallulah or any jail or prison. Maybe
the harsh treatment they receive will be a wake-up call. If not, they may
end up in Angola, or dead.

People are fed up with crime. Prisons keep criminals off the street. So,
Ms. Brock, I hope you are never a victim of one of these "children." If you
are, maybe you'll call for justice instead of sympathy.

Tony Carter

Citizens and Victims Against Crime

New Orleans