Letter to the Editor

Your view: Prisons cost money

Monday, May 9, 2005

I am writing in response to an article you had printed on March 28 in your "Speak Out" (Prison Life is Easy)??

I agree 100 percent on what this person is saying.

Let me start off, I am an inmate in Licking. I've been doing this time for right at 15 years now and I am from Sikeston and I feel whole heartedly what this person is saying. Tax-paying citizens should not have to pay for inmates, period!

I say this because I have family as well as friends out on the streets who also are affected just like every taxpayer. I want nothing more than to come home and prove to family, friends as well as society that I can be an upstanding member and asset to society. I've made mistakes in my life but my biggest mistake, I was judged by the laws of this state, I'm not wearing it proudly but I do take full responsibility for my actions and I'll do what the judgment calls for.

But I feel it is sad that taxpayers are paying for us being here and can't afford the comfortabilities of life. But taxpayers are paying taxes for more than prisoners and inmates.

Not meaning to sound harsh but it's going to take more than a few words to a local hometown newspaper to get people to truly wake up! People out there have a voice. (Use it!)

If more people thought the way this person does one voice is turned in to a thousand and so on.

People need to wake up and realize who they put in office. Do your homework about each and every person on the ballot, what they represent and stand for before they are so quick to put a check in any box.

In conclusion, if more people thought like this gentleman this state wouldn't have so many prisons or so high taxes because of prisons or inmates considering prisons and inmates in general was the only thing being spoken about.

And it's the only thing I can refer to as far as this article. But there are a lot more things going on in these states that's costing taxpayers crazy money.

Respectfully yours,

Carl Files #182931 (6-D-157)

Licking, MO

If this gentleman wants to write or anyone else for this matter I'd love to hear their views. Thank you.