A lock on costs

I appreciated your Jan. 13 editorial article about sentencing and saving money. I applaud Superior Court Judge Tari Eitzen’s effort to use common sense and good judgment when sentencing individuals that have made errors of judgment and committed a crime meriting punishment. I would like the judicial system to look more carefully at sentencing guidelines and do their best to keep people out of jail if at all possible.

In our time of low state revenues, with cuts in education, disabled care and senior care, we need to look at all expenses and see if we can do better. I would hope the prosecutor’s office would get on board, too.

We need the judicial system’s help, and it appears from your article they are well aware of it with alternative sentencing.

The article also questions whether we really need a “new jail” at a cost of $230 million which we don’t have. I would suggest it doesn’t appear that we need it.

George H. Rice

Spokane