E-mail to PTAVE, March 20, 1998

Correspondent suggests torture is cheaper, more effective than prison

I do not support beating incarcerated felons, I am researching corporal punishment in leiu of incarceration. not flogging, but controlled electric shock, which is over in a matter of minutes and the person gets to get on with their life and not be caged, human liberty being our most precious possession. Prison doesnt work, and is the most expensive means of punishing, I ask: Why not use the least expensive, public humiliation, stocks, pillery, etc. and use the huge amts of money saved for early inter vention programs to try and keep kids from crime, adults too.

I went to Catholic schools where cprl punishment was used and in my memory not abused. My father took his kids "down the basement" only a couple of times for a whipping. Human beings are part animal, and as such when appealing to reason doesnt work, impressing nerve endings gets aattention.

Don