Low-Cost Punishment for Low-Risk Offenders

I would applaud some creative ways to punish criminal offenders and save my tax dollar (“Better, Cheaper Prisons,” editorial, Jan. 23). After all, I am not the one who committed the crime, but I am the one paying for it. We all hear that the life inside prison may be solitary ... blah, blah, blah. But they have it better than the homeless and others who have trouble keeping food on the table.

Using boot camps, home monitoring, supervised cleanups around town, helping in nursing homes, etc., could be the start of a brainstorming session for the “so-called intermediate sanctions.” Of course, the punishment for the offender would need to fit the severity of the offense, but I am sure you get the idea. Another thought: What about these “rich boy” offenders’ families paying for their stay in prison?

Robin Kassir

San Clemente