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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Empty Dutch prisons

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Dear Editor,

While Nebraska and many other states are trying to figure out how to close their massive budget shortfalls, the Dutch are trying to figure out what to do with their closed prisons.

While the Netherlands has a total population of about 16.5 million, it has only about 12,000 prisoners. On the other hand, the United States has greater than 2,300,000 total prisoners.

If my math is correct, we in the U. S. have 18.2 fold the Dutch general population and 191.6 fold their prison population.

Why the glaring disparity? I suggest it's our drug policies.

In the Netherlands, adult citizens can use, buy and possess small amounts of marijuana without criminal sanctions. In the United States, adult citizens are subject to arrest, and jail or prison for buying, selling or possessing various amounts of marijuana.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.

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  • Kirk, you are right, as far as you take the scenario. Now, go to Holland, and obtain a consensus of the population about how they feel about the Drug Super Markets, Prostitution, and General Lifestyle cost's. You may find that many, perhaps majority, would just as soon not have the Liberal lifestyle they possess, and desire a life, conservatively oriented. Just a thought.

    What looks shiny on the outside, may well be rusted beneath.

    I have a few friends who lived there, and when the opportunity presented, departed, quickly.

    In Service to Messiah, Jesus. Arley

    -- Posted by Navyblue on Wed, Jan 20, 2010, at 6:06 PM
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