LETTERS: SADDENED BY NEED FOR MORE PRISONS

To the editor:

I was reading the article, "Prisons provide punishment, Jobs," in the June 5 Southeast Missourian, and I was saddened. The article was about the excitement and job opportunities that are associated with the new prisons being built to contain the increasing number of individuals who are being arrested because of the war on drugs.

The article stated that the new prison being built in Charleston will provide jobs to replace "a shoe factory and an electronics manufacturer" that no longer exist and to make up for farm jobs lost because of "costly new laws."

The article also advised that most of the new prisons are being built to accommodate individuals arrested for drug violations, most just for possession. This means we are building prisons -- utilizing tax money and creating jobs that do not aid the economy -- to incarcerate more people who are committing victimless crimes.

We have had the war on drugs for over 30 years. There is no end in sight. Most drug arrests invbolve individuals who have committedno crime other than the possession of an illegal drug. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the federal government will spend over $17.1 billion of tax money at a rate of $634 per second on the war on drugs this year.

I think a much more effective way of dealing with our problems would be to say no to government bureaucracy and interference. let us keep the money we earn so that we can build factories, open businesses, purchase products, farm our land and actually increase the wealth of this great nation. Who knows? this might just effectively keep things like drug use and violent crime down, thus eliminating the need for jail and prison expansion.

Again, I am saddened by the thought that our communities are very excited about building prisons and expanding the war on drugs instead of being very cautious and saddened by this so-called need.

MARY NALL

Marble Hill