Seek other solutionsfor violent criminals

I read the letter by Paul Maslakowski of Palmer as well as several others on the subject of the death penalty. Personally, I do not like it. I do not believe anyone has the right to say when someone else should die; however, I also do not believe in life imprisonment or even long-term sentences with free room and board, all medical, dental and vision problems paid for by the working public through taxes.

I really think that the old-fashioned chain gangs should be brought back, or some other type of manual labor. Make prisoners work for a living like a regular person. It might also make them feel better about themselves. I know that some prisoners work in the kitchen, hospital and other areas of the prison or jail. They say it makes them feel better about themselves.

I was told a story about the wild Old West and the problem one small town had until it got a new sheriff. He had the big jail torn down and one-room jail built with one window in it. Outside of that window was a hanging tree, which the prisoner could see. If a second prisoner was brought in, the first one was taken out and hung. It didn’t take long for word to be spread about what was going on in that town and the bad guys evaded it like the plague.

Viola Petty

Houston