Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 18, 1994                   TAG: 9409270007
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CRIME BILL WON'T REDUCE CRIME

Let's inform readers about a few ``goodies'' in the so-called crime bill. It proposes the following: $100 million to increase young criminals' self-esteem; more than $150 million for arts and crafts programs; $50 million for sports programs, such as midnight basketball; and more than $250 million for job-training programs, despite the fact that America already has 75 such federally funded programs.

I wonder how many readers realize that, compared to 30 years ago, we're actually sending fewer criminals to jail per crime committed. In 1960, 738 criminals went to prison for every 1,000 violent crimes. By 1980, it had dropped to 227 for every 1,000 violent crimes. During this period, the nation's crime rate tripled! Yet our president, liberal congressmen and this newspaper would have us believe that the National Rifle Association and the gun lobby are to blame for our crime problems. They want us to believe that banning guns, and throwing good money after bad on more failed social programs, are the ways to cut crime.

The only way to reduce crime is to incarcerate criminals. Yes, it will cost a great deal of money to build more prisons, but it will be money well spent. According to William Barr, co-chairman of Gov. Allen's committee on the abolition of parole and sentence reform, the typical repeat violent offender on the streets costs society more than $400,000 per year, compared with $20,000 to $25,000 for incarceration.

There is tremendous pressure on our representatives to pass the crime bill. I hope they'll stand firm in their opposition to this terrible waste of our money.

PAUL BISBEE BEDFORD

Lawyer takes the biggest bite

IN THE Aug. 9 news article about the settlement in the vicious dog attack (``Roanoke girl to get $250 per month plus $4,000 for injuries after dog bite''), it was stated that ``the settlement requires Henegar to pay $20,000 - $16,000 of which will go to Candice's attorney, Richard Lawrence.''

Perhaps the court needs to re-establish which one was the vicious dog in this case, the Samoyed that was ordered destroyed or the attorney.

NELSON E. LEFTWICH JR. BEDFORD

Yet to come is the best nonfeasance

I'M FASCINATED by your July 30 editorial, ``Public vs. private interests,'' wherein you so accurately conclude, ``To allow growth to occur now in a way that would haunt the tax-paying public later would be nonfeasance.'' I certainly am looking forward to sequel editorials with this perspective also holding the federal government to such responsibility! I can visualize these provocative headlines:

``Clinton's budget unbalanced - guilty of nonfeasance.''

``Federal pensions unfunded - it's nonfeasance.''

``Health-care mandates judged nonfeasance.''

``Welfare-reform plan clearly nonfeasance.''

``Social Security benefit exceeds premium - it's nonfeasance.''

Surely, in the future, you'll not hold county officials to standards higher than that of federal elected officials.

WILLIAM R. COWEN RADFORD

Sentiment brews for new tea party

DISREGARDING critics' pleas who say the project is too costly and of dubious scientific value, the U.S. Senate on Aug. 3 approved a $2.1 billion expenditure in fiscal year 1995 for continuing the development of a space station for orbiting the earth by the year 2002. Since the measure was favored by the Clinton administration, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Virginia Sen. Charles Robb supported the bill, just as he has most other expenditures favored by the administration.

Most Americans cannot comprehend $2.1 billion. However, it's as if one spent in excess of $2,885 each day since the birth of Jesus Christ.

Americans will always right a wrong. Unfortunately, they're most often slow in doing so. Someday - soon, I hope - they're going to realize the tremendous damage that's been done to our country by big-spending politicians since the end of World War II. When that happens, we're going to have another Boston Tea Party - but this time in Washington, D.C.

In the meantime, Virginians can take a major step in November toward returning some semblance of sanity to the federal government by sending Robb home to pack. He's yet to see a spending bill with which he does not concur, or a tax increase!

CLAUDE E. STEWART JR. VINTON