New Criminal Laws
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Re “California Laws ‘95,” Jan. 2:
As I read the descriptions of all the laws which took effect in California on Jan. 1, I was struck by how many are focused on criminals: more offenses which require incarceration, mandatory longer sentences, restrictions on parole.
It seems as if our only response to violence is to build more prisons and lock up more people. Where will it end? We already have such a high prison population. Have we thought of the consequences 50 years from now when all those with mandatory life sentences turn our prisons into convalescent hospitals, when there is little money available for needs other than supporting a huge prison population?
We must begin to put more focus on supporting family life and education if we hope to ever turn around our present situation of violence. More prisons and longer sentences are only Band-Aids.
RITA ANGERMAN, Northridge
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