The News and Observer deserves serious criticism for its sensational coverage of the early release of NC prisoners who were in for life. How many 60+ year old men do you know that you would describe as “violent”? Yet, that’s the moniker you put on men who’ve been behind bars for years, many of whom have demonstrated good behavior within the system.
The facts are that over 650,000 inmates are released yearly from incarceration in the US. Some walk out onto the streets directly from isolated confinement. They have served their time and must be freed. The state is willing to spend about $30k per year to keep them in prison, but virtually nothing to help them find housing and jobs to help keep them from going back. Giving a guy $40 and wishing him good luck isn’t going to cut it. With proper attention to this problem, we could cut our bills dramatically…never mind that it is also the moral thing to do. Unfortunately, we are so tuned to locking folks up for so long that many have been institutionalized and will feel comfortable in no other setting than prison.
Senator Jim Webb thinks our justice system is a national disgrace and has called for a blue ribbon commission to recommend changes. See http://webb.senate.gov/email/criminaljusticereform.html It's time to do something about it.
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It is the non-violent executives, politicians, and policy makers that hurt people far more than offenders being released from prison. Perhaps if policy was in place that facilitated healthy transitions from prison to the general public there would not be as many repeat offenders. The News and Observers seems to be grabbing for a sensational headline and story. They need to be true to the title of the publication. They need to be observers. That means looking beneath the surface to the issues that cause problems. Larry you are right. They do deserve criticism for they sensational coverage.
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