THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409090037
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 28 lines
The answer to crime is not social programs such as midnight basketball, but tougher penalties for violent crimes.
If a convicted murderer is sentenced to life in prison, he should not be eligible for parole - ever!
According to Bureau of Justice statistics, the average murderer sentenced to life with a chance of parole serves a little more than seven years, then is back out on the streets and will more than likely kill again.
President Clinton's proposed policy of ``Three strikes, you're out'' should be ``One strike, you're out.'' Why give a violent criminal the chance to kill or rape or molest again?
It's about time that the criminal-justice system stops protecting the criminal so much. If violent criminals have no conscience about the crimes they are committing, they should pay the price.
MARY MORA
Virginia Beach, Aug. 22, 1994 by CNB