Letter: Inmate has different perspective on how to deal with criminals

Friday, Oct. 2, 1998 | 11:55 a.m.

For months now, we have heard political candidates talking about things like "getting tough on crime" and passing "tougher sentences."

Getting "tough on crime" has become a popular catch phrase for politicians who think that this is what society really wants them to do if they are elected, and the voters have fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Passing "tougher sentences" does not address the real problem.

What about getting serious about trying to address the problems of the offender? I hate to use the word "rehabilitation" because it has become a myth within the field of corrections. These prisons have become nothing more than warehouses of wasting human flesh that offer very little to help those within to change their life and to come out better than they went in. Higher recidivism rates highlight this fact.

Why are the legislators and prison administrators in this state talking about building a $100 million "state of the art" 10,000-bed prison in this state? Does the public really believe that it is necessary? Apparently so, but do not be deceived, we don't need another prison. We need to demand that the state government better manage the prisons already in place.

Institute programs for offenders who really want to change their lives. Teach life management skills, mandate the attainment of GEDs for the uneducated, provide work so that important work skills can be taken back to society and the probability of successful transition into the community is raised. Let's get back Pell Grants for inmates that want college education.

Right now, society is receiving from prisons angry, vengeful and ill-adjusted misfits who have spent anywhere from one to 15 years stewing in their anger with nothing constructive to do with their time.

Tougher sentences and getting tough on crime isn't going to change reality. We will be getting out eventually and the way we are when we get out depends a lot on what was available to us while we were in.

Leslie E. Raymond