Getting control of our jails

Re “More Rioting Erupts at Jails,” Feb. 9

The jail system needs to be fixed. We should make jails places of punishment where career criminal inmates are not just warehoused but reeducated in preparation for release. Career criminals should have to be certified for release to the general public or lower levels of control. Inmates should be subject to greater levels of control and reeducation the deeper they choose to traverse the career-criminal path. As it now stands, many inmates regard jails as graduate schools for career criminals.

I recognize these measures, if implemented, could be subject to abuse. But clearly something needs to be done to change the culture of violence and criminal careerism.

LUIS G. MARTINEZ

Los Angeles