Pubdate: Thu, 25 Nov 1999
Date: 11/25/1999
Source: Orange County Register (CA)
Author: Al Thompson

I beg to differ with Kraig St. Pierre. It is overzealous prosecutors
who are the problem when they ask for a 48-year term for trespassing,
attempted burglary or even someone looking through a window.

To have taxpayers pay $25,000 to $30,000 a year to house these
inmates is ridiculous. Common sense would tell you that 10, 15 or 20
years is plenty of time to serve with some kind of rehabilitation,
electronic monitoring and half the cost of taxpayers' money.

The focus should be on the rehabilitation of non-violent or petty
criminals.

Al Thompson,
Garden Grove