[after dark]

I know your comment is not directed at me ,but I want to respond anyways.

I agree three strikes is perfect for violent victimizers .

There are on the other hand people who benefit by building prisons and keeping them full. I believe those people are responsible for the lack of mercy that many poor and uneducated people receive from our legal system.

[Mr. Silverback]

There are on the other hand people who benefit by building prisons and keeping them full. I believe those people are responsible for the lack of mercy that many poor and uneducated people receive from our legal system.

Agreed. In fact, the only problem I had with Earley's entire column was his blanket rejection of three strikes.

[SampleMan]

There are on the other hand people who benefit by building prisons and keeping them full. I believe those people are responsible for the lack of mercy that many poor and uneducated people receive from our legal system.

Lack of mercy? With recidivism at 95%, it is a lack of mercy to the innocent to let these perps back on the street for another chance. How many innocent people are you willing to see victimized, so that you can be merciful to the unrepentant?

There is nothing about being poor or uneducated that makes a person a criminal, and its an insult to those who are poor and honest to say so. On the other hand, the exact traits that make a person a criminal, also lead to them being poor and uneducated.