THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9409300011
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
The majority of crimes are committed by people below age 23 - people who are either unemployed or have minimal-wage jobs. Most of the criminals are members of the latch-key generation, and their crimes are economic related - robbery, burglary, larceny.
The proposed abolition of parole and sentencing does not offer a solution to the crime problem. According to statistics from other localities that have adopted legislation similar to that proposed by Gov. George Allen, abolishing parole neither prevents crime nor reduces crime; it only delays some crimes.
Proposal X authorizes construction of 28 correctional facilities by warehousing 23,026 additional inmates. No education, no reform is included. This will be a costly investment with no return.
Throwing away the key should be considered only where there is no other alternative.
If we really want to solve a good percentage of the repeat-crime problem, we should invest $100 million in economic development to develop good-paying jobs. Give small businesses a tax incentive to hire and train our young people. Let's not throw away the key to helping our latch-key generation. Let's use that key to open doors to educate and develop skills so that they too can be a part of the solution.
PHIL JOHNSON
Chesapeake, Sept. 26, 1994 by CNB