Looking at the numbers, our government officials have come to the realization that sending people to prison because we’re “tough on crime” is costing us an arm and a leg (see “The failure of ‘tough-on-crime’ tactics,” News + Features, May 9). We don’t say that you shouldn’t send people to prison, but perhaps some thought should be given to the concept of “corrections.” (The place is called the “Adult Correctional Institution,” after all.)
To us that would mean making a little more effort at job training, education, and the sort of things that might give currently incarcerated people a fighting chance to get a job and put together a life when their sentence is over. Yes, punishment is called for but, if it’s just punishment, you can bet your buttocks that most of these folks are being set up for failure on the outside. How aggressive are the substance abuse programs available to inmates? Would it be accurate to assume that most (more than 50 percent) of those currently incarcerated have a substance abuse problem?
It is our observation that prison head ramrod A.T. Wall has done quite a good job with the tools that he has been given, but the tools are woefully lacking. Yes, it’s a difficult and complicated thing, this idea of “corrections.” But there is more than a little black humor in the fact that what is driving the reconsideration of how prisons operate is merely how much it all costs.
And, speaking of saving money, everybody out there raise their hands if they think that “The Drug War” has been handled and maintained about as well as we think “corrections” have.
Everybody loves Sue
Congratulations to Susan Pegden, longtime State House presence and top assistant to former Lt. Governor Charlie Fogarty, who graduated from Roger Williams Law School last week. There was a swell party for Sue featuring many, many media and political figures, who were all there because, well, Sue’s the best.
P&J had never met former National Guard Adjutant General Reginald Centracchio and didn’t know that he plays in swing and big bands and recently performed the National Anthem before a PawSox game at McCoy Sta-dium. Having sung the Anthem at McCoy about 20 years ago, Jorge knew exactly what the General meant when he noted that there’s a weird sense of self-consciousness that never occurs when just playing music that hap-pens while standing on the diamond.
It was also great to see veteran radio newsman John Carpilio (and wife Deb), who is now at WRNI, the Governor’s spokesguy Jeff Neal, BeloJo ace reporter K. (Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill) Gregg and husband Peter, as well as Elizabeth Bakst and her spouse, old what’s-his-name.
And we don’t want to forget another partygoer, Matt Jerzyk, RIFuture.com ramrod and frequent Phoenix contributor, who also graduated from RWU Law. Much as we love Sue Pegden, we are hoping that it won’t be your superior correspondents who will be seeing her in court.
The fantastic Johnny C
A tip of the PGA Tour golf cap to the CVS bribery trial participants, who have managed to talk about golf more than Jim Nantz, Lee Trevino, and David Feherty doing cocaine at a cocktail party.
