Our criminal justice system needs an overhaul. Instead of reforming criminals when they are incarcerated, they too often come out of the prisons more hardened and knowledgeable about crime than when they went in.

When a person is convicted of a crime, there should be no set time for their release. The release should not be given until there is good reason to believe that the person will not be returned to prison.

Of course, that means that each criminal should be counseled by a person who is sincerely interested in the individual capable of giving solid and encouraging advice to those involved, both spiritual and educational. So when the person is released he or she will have a better perspective on life and rather than commit crimes become of valuable to him or her self and to society.

It must be done if we are to have an increasingly better society in the future. We have the example of Father Flannigan of Boys Town, Neb., who stated his belief that there is no such thing as a bad boy, only misguided ones, and proved his point by changing the lives of thousands of boys during his life.

Or the Rev. B.R. Lange who became counselor to more than 200 boys at the South Dakota reformatory at Plankinton. Of those he counseled, and some of them were second and third time convicts, on a fast track to become habitual criminals, not one of those persons ever returned to the reform school. They became solid citizens.

The prisons must be austere. No radio or TV. Only good books capable of uplifting the individual and giving them a better perspective of life. If music is piped in, it should be soft and reflective.

When a child is convicted of committing a crime the parents should also be apprehended. Accused of child neglect and if found guilty made to pay the price.

The food should be based on cereals, properly fortified to assure good nutrition but not what they would care to eat the rest of their lives. Exercise should be isometrics shown to them and how to build their bodies.

If the hard-working cowboys of days gone by could sleep on the hard prairie sod during roundups, for weeks on end in spite of rain or shine, hot or cold without ill effects I see no reason why criminals should have it any better. We should discourage them from ever wanting to return to prison again but glad they went through it.

Edwin B. Petersen

Albert Lea