Melissa Coker: Our prisons aren’t big enough if you lock up everyone

Re “Bernie’s prison plan is dangerous” (Page 3B, Feb. 19): I can totally see the letter writer’s view that these drug users and evil doers can possibly turn into worse. But they haven’t yet, so it’s like with kids – punish them for what could’ve happened.

Unfortunately that theory keeps all our jails and prisons packed with nonviolent crimes. Yeah, they’re in there for a reason, but that’s nothing compared with what they could’ve been charged with – murder, rape etc. That’s too bad that people can’t see that it isn’t the solution to just lock ’em up. It’s called rehabilitation. Maybe the writer should redirect his thoughts to helping our not so perfect city instead of punishing them.

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Melissa Coker: Our prisons aren’t big enough if you lock up everyone."