Federal Prosecutor's Will Not Pursue Murder For Hire Charges Connected To Sex Slave Case:

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Bradley Joseph Cook (mug shot LCSO)

Federal prosecutors have decided that one of their top prosecutors in a sex slave case with ties to the Ozarks will stay on the case.

On Wednesday, a federal judge gave prosecutors a mid-December deadline to decide whether or not Cynthia Cordes would continue to be part of the trial team prosecuting the "worst sex crime" federal prosecutors in this area have seen.

In March, federal prosecutors alleged that Bradley Joseph Cook, 33, tried to hire a hit man to kill Cordes, and the alleged victim who was kept as a sex slave and tortured and abused for years in a trailer in Lebanon. The charges connected to the alleged murder plot against Cordes were made public in court documents, but charges have not been filed in the alleged scheme as it relates to Cordes.

The claim was included in a motion to keep Cook incarcerated and move him to a different jail, which Judge Robert Larson approved.      

Cook, Edward "Master Ed" Bagley, Michael Stokes, James Noel and Dennis Henry were all charged with sex trafficking last fall after the victim was taken to a hospital in Lebanon near death following a torture session in February of 2009.

 If convicted, each of the men face from five to fifteen years in prison.

Former Stone County Firefighter Sentenced To TenYears For Statutory Sodomy:

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Larry Joe Smith Jr. was found guilty earlier this year of molesting two sisters in 2006 (mug shot LCSO)

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A former Stone County firefighter has been sentenced to ten years in prison for molesting two young siblings in 2006.

Special prosecutor Robert George says Larry Joe Smith Jr., 35, sodomized the boy and girl at his home in Reeds Spring when he babysat the siblings while their father attended firefighter training. 

"Missouri law sets the minimum sentence of statutory sodomy of children under 12, at ten years," said George.  "I had asked for a sentence of 15 to 20 years on each count.  The victims were 9 and 6 at the time of the crime, and I believed, the acts warranted more than the minimum sentence."

Judge Gayle Crane found Smith guilty in October and sentenced him to ten years in prison on each count yesterday (11-28-11.) Those sentences are to be served concurrently (at the same time.)

George was appointed special prosecutor in Lawrence County after the case was moved there on a change of venue and after Stone County prosecutor Matt Selby recused himself from the case.

~UPDATED~Branson Entertainer Will Stand Trial For Felony Tax Evasion

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Bambi and Kirby VanBurch are facing 3 counts of felony tax evasion

A Branson entertainer charged with felony tax evasion waived his preliminary hearing yesterday (11-17-11) and has been bound over for trial.

Magician Kirby VanBurch and his ex wife Bambi are facing three counts of tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay sales, withholding and consumer use taxes from June through September of 2009, the same year the couple were divorced.

Stone County assistant prosecutor Dayrell Scrivner, who has been appointed special prosecutor in the case says, “The state has been talking with them, and with their attorneys, basically giving them an opportunity to produce some kind of explanation. They were trying to make sure it was not an oversight.”

This isn't the first time Kirby VanBurch has been in trouble with the law. In 2005, he was placed on five years probation after pleading guilty to drunk driving and assaulting a Branson police officer .

The VanBurch's, who could each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, are due back in court on December 5th.
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UPDATE: 12-16-11:


Charges against Kirby and Bambi VanBurch were dismissed without prejudice after the couple "made a large payment" to cover their tax debt.  That deal was struck shortly before the VanBurch's were to be arraigned in circuit court yesterday.

The special prosecutor says charges could be refiled if the couple fails to pay off the rest of the amount they owe.  Scrivner would not comment on what dollar amount the couple paid the state.

UPDATED - House That Murdered Willard Couple Disappeared From Destroyed In Fire; Ruled Accidental:

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House where Porter's disappeared destroyed in fire (courtesy Springfield News-Leader)

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The house that a murdered couple from Willard disappeared from is a total loss after a fire early this morning (10-14-11.)

Rusty and Rebecca Porter went missing from the house in April.  Family members called authorities after they went to the house on Route HH after not hearing from the Porter's for a day, which was unusual.  The house was unlocked and a strong smell of bleach permeated the inside of the residence.

The couples remains were found in July in rural Taney County. The couple had been each been shot in the back of the head.

Tim Campbell, a cousin of Rusty Porter, was living in the house and called 9-1-1 around 4:45 a.m. to report the fire.  Strong winds, with gusts as high as 35 mph, hampered firefighting efforts, but the fire was brought under control shortly after 7 a.m.

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Back of house burning (courtesy Kay Simmons)

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Sheriff Jim Arnott says he does not believe any potential evidence was destroyed in the fire as investigators had finished processing the house and surrounding property for evidence and released the crime scene to the family last spring.

Arnott says the blaze will be investigated as an arson until a cause is determined.

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There have been no charges filed against anyone at this time in connection to the Porter's murders.
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UPDATE 1:30 P.M.:

According to Rusty Porter's mother, Kay Simmons, the state fire marshal has ruled the fire an accidental electical fire that started in the attic near the kitchen.

Toddler's Death In Joplin Ruled Homicide:

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Emjay Corn and his mother Nichole Hall (courtesy POC)

The October 29th death of an 18 month-old Joplin toddler has been ruled a homicide.

Lt. Brian Lewis says preliminary autopsy results reveal that little Emjay Braxton Corn died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Eric J. Hicks, 28, the boyfriend of Emjay's mother, Nichole Hall, 32, called authorities after he found the little boy dead in his crib after leaving him home alone for about an hour while he went to a methadone clinic.

Nichole Hall was in a mental hospital at the time of her son's death.  Authorities were called to the home she shared with Hicks at 1322 Pennsylvania Ave. on the evening of October 27th after Hall threatened to kill herself and everyone in the house, according to sources close to the case. 

When asked if Emjay's injuries could have been caused by Hall prior to her hospitalization, or if the boy could have been dead for several hours or up to a day before Hicks's timeline- Lewis said, "We're waiting on a forensic pathologist to establish a timeline in the case."

Authorities have been called back out to the Pennsylvania Avenue house at least twice after Hall was released from the hospital.  "On November 3rd an officer was requested to call the home and on November 4th there was a follow up," said Lewis.

Eric J. Hicks has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child

Hall was re-admitted to the mental hospital last week.

Hicks has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and was released from jail after posting $10,000 bond.

No charges have been filed against anyone at this time in connection to Emjay's murder.

~UPDATED~Capital Murder Trial Underway For One Of Two Men Who Allegedly Killed Missing Bentonville Women:

Michael Shane Winters is facing the death penalty for the murders of Louise and Christina Bishop

One of two men accused of killing an elderly woman and her daughter from Bentonville, Arkansas in June of 2009 will spend the rest of his life behind bars for his part in the women's murders.

 

Testimony in the capital murder trial of Michael Shane Winters, 30, began November 11th in Benton County.

George Skupien, the godson and nephew of  81 year-old Louise Bishop, reported his aunt and cousin, 40 year-old Christina Bishop-Johansen,  missing on June 21st after going to the home after not hearing from the women for a few days.  When he entered the unlocked door he found part of a pair of dentures, blood spatters, reading glasses and broken, bloody furniture in the foyer.
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Louise and Christina Bishop (undated family photo)

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A media blitz to find the women, who were last seen exiting a Sam's store in Bentonville on June 18th, yielded few clues to the women's whereabouts.  However, in July the women's truck was found in the parking lot of Club Hots (a strip club) in Jane, MO with the message, "Free car just tow away," scrawled across the windshield.

The owner of the company that towed the truck from the strip club made contact Skupien who told him not to touch it any further and contacted authorities.

Their bodies were found Feb. 1, 2010, in a shallow grave at 15226 Sugar Creek Road, between Garfield and Avoca - on property adjacent to that owned by Johansen's father,  according to court documents.
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In the 20-page probable cause affidavit, Benton County prosecutor Van Stone says that Winters' girlfriend -- Susan Martin, who is also Johansen's half sister -- came to the Bentonville Police Department on February 14th to talk about what happened to the women "because it had been bothering her to hold it in and she did not think she could take it anymore."

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According to court documents, Martin lived with both Johansen and Winters and told police the two had gone to the Bishop's house to rob Louise Bishop, who was known to keep a large amount of money in the house.

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Nicholas Johansen is accused of killing his mother and grandmother

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Martin told investigators that the day after the Bishop's were last seen "Michael was able to pay
their cell phone bill of nearly $400.00 and had $100.00 left over. Susan asked him where
he got the money and he told her not to worry about it."

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Court documents say Winters told his girlfriend what happened the night the women went missing.
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"Reportedly, Michael and Nick left the residence at 15226 Sugar Creek Road on June 18,2009,
sometime between 2100 to 2200 hours. They both rode Nick's motorcycle to Louise's
residence.
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Upon arrival, Nick called Christina Bishop and told her he needed to talk to her. She ultimately met him outside the residence. As they were talking, Nick began acting like he was going to give Christina a back rub. However, at some point, Nick started to strangle Christina.

As Nick was strangling Christina, Louise opened the door and must have seen what was occurring. Reportedly, Louise started to go back in the house so Nick went after Louise and Michael continued to strangle Christina. According to Susan, Nick entered the residence and started to strangle Louise. However, Nick was unable to actually kill her; therefore, Michael entered the residence and strangled Louise.
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Michael and Nick then placed both bodies in the bed of the truck Nick rode in the back to hold the bodies in place while Michael drove back to their residence on Sugar Creek Road. They drug the bodies up the hill in the woods on the property owned by the Johansen's. They then stashed the truck on an ATV trail just west of the residence. It stayed there for a few days and was then driven to Club Hots, an adult entertainment establishment in McDonald County, Missouri, and left in their parking lot.

Michael told Susan they were able to locate $500.00, which they stole from the residence. Susan said this was the money used to pay her phone bill the following day, They were also able to find some jewelry, which included the watch and matching bracelet Susan later found amongst her property. Michael told her that he got the watch from the Bishop's house and gave it to her."

Skupien has filed a lawsuit against the company that canceled an alarm allegedly triggered by Louise Bishop the night she was murdered. 

The suit alleges at 11:54 p.m. the security alarm on Louise Bishop’s front door was triggered. A Guard Tronic employee initiated three telephone calls to the home,  all of which resulted with in busy signals, according to the complaint.

Guard Tronic called the Bentonville Police Department three minutes after the alarm was triggered. However, while dispatching police, a cancel signal came from Louise Bishop’s security system, according to the complaint. A Guard Tronic employee told the dispatcher to cancel the call to the residence, according to the suit.

The complaint claims it would have normally taken authorities two to three minutes to have arrived at the residence after being dispatched, and that the attack could have been interrupted, or the perpetrators captured at the residence.

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Winters, who was facing the death penalty, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive (one to be served after the other) sentences of life without parole. He was also found guilty of two counts of agrravated robbery and was sentenced to two life sentences on those counts.
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Jury selection for Nick Johansen's trial is is scheduled to begin on January 18, 2012, in Benton County, Arkansas.

Joplin Cop On Paid Administrative Leave After Alleged Drunk Driving Incident:

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Joplin police officer Shawn Michael Evans is on paid administrative leaving pending outcome of IA investigation (mug shot JCSO)

A Joplin police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave after he was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated last week.

Lt. Brian Lewis said, Shawn Michael Evans, 27, was pulled over for the alleged incident on November 3rd at 10:08 p.m. near Fourth Street and Florida Avenue.

When the officer who pulled Evans over realized that he would be dealing with a fellow officer, "the Highway Patrol was called and took over the investigation," Lewis said. 

Evans, who had no prior law enforcement employment before being hired by the Joplin P. D. in December of 2010,  is a patrol officer.

Lewis said Evans was placed on paid administrative leave pending a fact-finding hearing before a city board and the completion of an internal-affairs investigation, "which usually takes between 2 weeks and a month."

87 Year Old Springfield Woman Shoots Husband For "Stepping Out" On Her:

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Dorothy H. Desjardins shot her husband for "stepping out" on her (mug shot GCSO)

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An 87 year-old Springfield woman is behind bars for felony domestic assault after allegedly shooting her husband Saturday night.

According to court records, Dorothy H. Desjardins confronted her husband after her hairdresser told her she was having an affair with her husband.  Peter Desjardins, 88, told his wife that he only saw the hairdresser when he accompanied her to her appointments with the woman.

Mr. Desjardins told authorities that he went to bed because he was tired of fighting with his wife.  The elderly man told authorities that after a short time his wife “walked into the room with her walker, sat down on the bed that was next to his, and began to throw books at him.”

He said when she ran out of books to throw, she picked up his revolver and began flinging it around in the air. He told her to put it down because she didn't know how to handle it.  He told investigator's it was at that time she pulled the hammer back and fired the weapon.  The shot struck him in the arm, which was covering his face, according to the probable cause statement.

When officers arrived at the home at 2941 West Lomonta Mr. Desjardins told him his wife had shot him - to which she "made several spontaneous utterances," including, "He had it coming...he was cheating. I caught him fooling around - I just went a little berserk" because "he was stepping out on me, and I just got pissed off.   I intended to scare the shit out of him - I wasn't going to kill him. "

The Ruger handgun, was loaded with shot-shell, which fires fine-grain pellets instead of bullets.   A doctor told cops that Peter did not sustain any serious vascular damage in the shooting, adding that surgery would do more harm than good to remove the bird shot lodged in his forearm.

A criminal history check of Mrs. Desjardins, who is being held on $5,000 bond, showed this was her first arrest.

Wooderson Will Die In Prison For Roommate's Murder:

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Jefferey Todd Wooderson (mug shot GCSO)

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A Springfield man who led authorities from Taney County and Arkansas state police on a chase in the stolen SUV of a dead man will die in prison for the murder of his roommate.

Jefferey Todd Wooderson, 43, pleaded guilty today (11-7-11) to first-degree murder for beating 57 year-old Gary Russell to death with a golf club as he slept in the home the two men shared sometime around March, 20, 2010. 

Springfield police were called to the 1700 block of East Florida Street on March 21st by family members of Russell who discovered him dead after not hearing from him for several days.

Authorities believe Russell had been dead several days before his body was found.

Wooderson was charged in Arkansas with aggravated assault, theft and driving while intoxicated and felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to a total of 14 years on all the charges there.
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The only sentences available on a first-degree murder conviction are either life in prison with out the possibility of parole or the death penalty.

Another Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Embattled Texas County Prosecutor:

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Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson

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Another civil lawsuit has been filed against sitting Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson.

The former chief of police in Licking, Danny McNew, filed a defamation-negligence, defamation-false statements and invasion of privacy suit against Anderson in Cole County Circuit Court in August.  The case was moved on a change of venue to Greene County on October 31st.

McNew alleges that Anderson contacted the attorney generals office and stated "that possible collusion between my former staff member and officer McNew may have resulted in a deliberate effort to thwart the investigation, or at least that their actions may give the appearance of a cover up," and other malicious statements about him regarding a March 2005 police pursuit by McNew that led to the death of thirty six year-old Ronald Sullins to the AG's office.

Mc New's attorney, Thomas Hearne of Springfield, says Anderson failed to conduct a full investigation concerning the statements, which have hampered his client's ability to earn a livelihood and caused him humiliation and embarrassment.

This comes on the heels of Anderson being ordered to pay Mildred "Millie" Williams $1 Million dollars for malicious prosecution in September.

Williams brought the lawsuit against Anderson after he began a smear campaign against her after she allegedly witnessed him sexually harassing an employee of his office. She claims Anderson attempted to keep her from testifying against him by intimidation or coercion.

Mildred "Millie" Williams testifies during civil trial in Marshfield

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Anderson had filed a lawsuit in 2006 against Williams and Monica Daniel-Hutchison claiming the women used their positions to do favors for friends, were involved in running a swingers sex ring out of the Texas County courthouse and were involved in a conspiracy to deprive him of serving in public office. Anderson dropped the lawsuit about six weeks later, but not before he had alerted local media outlets to the pending litigation via press release/s.

The Webster County jury, where the case was moved on a change of venue, awarded Williams $500,000 in actual damages and $500,000 in punitive damages in her malicious prosecution suit against Anderson. Daniels-Hutchison settled for an undisclosed amount of money earlier.
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Hearne says things "percolated back up" for his client during the trial in Webster County.  "The allegations that Danny and Moncia (Daniels-Hutchison) were supposedly involved in hiding or destroying documents related to the pursuit were rebroadcast during the trial and are simply false."

An insurance company that carries the rider for Texas County has asked that McNew's case be dismissed because Anderson, as prosecuting attorney, has sovereign immunity because he was acting in his official capacity.

Fifth of Six Suspects In Stephen Rash Murder Sentenced:

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Jeff Bloom took part in the murder conspiracy to kill Stephen Rash (mug shot GCSO)

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Nearly all of the six people who took part in a December 2008 murder conspiracy have been sentenced. 

Jeff Bloom, 51, was originally charged with first-degree murder for the death Stephen Rash, but in August he pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree murder.  As part of that plea agreement, he gave up the right to appeal.

Defense attorney Tom Carver called one witness to the stand at Bloom's sentencing hearing, his mother Audrey Bloom.  Bloom said doctors diagnosed her son as "brain damaged" during his birth when he was in kindergarten.  She said he graduated from a Pennsylvania high school for mentally challenged youth at the fourth grade level. 

Carver told the court his client was diagnosed with an IQ of 65 and lacked the mental capacity to be the "mastermind" of Stephen Rash's murder.

Prosecutors say Theresa Rash hatched the plan to kill her husband

According to court records, Bloom was having an affair with Theresa Rash -- Stephen Rash's wife -- when the pair, along with Theresa Rash's daughter Alexandria McNeeley and her boyfriend, Troy Christiansen, compiled a list of people they wanted "taken out."  Theresa Rash wanted her husband dead for allegedly verbally abusing her and because she wanted to be with Bloom.

Alexandria McNeeley

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The group recruited two other men, Rusty L. Amoss and William L. Reed, to carry out the hit on Stephen Rash while they went bowling, with Bloom's wife Karen Gardner, to create an alibi.

Rash was beaten with a pipe and his throat slashed at his Chicago Street home, according to court records.

Stephen Rash was murdered in his home

According to Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson, "Stephen Rash was the first person on a hit list in a binder found at Bloom's residence  He had a folder of different cases....Christiansen was even on the list.  When investigators went to Theresa Rash's sons home to tell her they were releasing the crime scene they found the defendant in bed with the widow." 

Bloom's mother told the court, "He could take care of himself but he couldn't really make decisions. He let people push him around and decide things for him."

Patterson said that at least one other doctor who tested Bloom believed "he purposefully manipulated IQ tests by maligning."

"Jeff knew what was going on ... but to say that he was the mastermind of this I think is a misconception," said Carver, who laid the majority of the blame on Theresa Rash. "He is easily led and has significant brain damage.  People weren't following Jeff Bloom's directions ... if anything he was the bottom of the food chain."

Other than Patterson, there was no loved one there to speak for Rash.

Patterson argued that, despite a lower than average IQ, Bloom is "not that much different from other criminals."

"He has the ability to think and plan...the difference with him is his thinking is criminal.  He is not a hapless person in this, he was one of the driving forces." Patterson said.  He is a dangerous individual and there is no treatment or supervision that can protect us from him. The place for a defendant like Jeff Bloom is the Department of Corrections."


Judge Michael Cordonnier agreed.

"Your IQ does not excuse you from responsibility for these crimes."  Cordonnier said Thursday he was had been through numerous proceedings the last few years and he was "not impressed" at Bloom's attempts to minimize his role in the crime after he met with probation and parole officials after pleading guilty.

As Cordonnier was about to hand down the sentence he asked  Bloom if he had been satisfied with Carver's representation.  Yes, answered Bloom.  But I have one question.....what is maligning?" 

Cordonnier shut him down.  "Mr. Bloom the time for you to ask anything is over.
It was the husband of your mistress that was the primary target. I do think you are capable of thinking and planning crimes and society has a need to seek retribution."

Bloom was sentenced to 25 years in prison.  He must serve 85% of the sentence before he becomes eligible for parole. 
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Theresa Rash entered an Alford plead in August and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.  An Alford plea is one where defendants do not admit guilt, but concede that the state probably has enough evidence to secure a conviction if the case were to proceed to trial. 

Troy Christiansen

Christiansen pleaded guilty to amended charges of conspiracy to commit murder.  Last week he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but placed on probation over Patterson's objection.

William Reed was sentenced to life in prison

Amoss and Reed were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for their roles in Rash's murder. 

Rusty Amoss will spend the rest of his life behind bars

McNeeley, who agreed to testify against he co-conspirators, pleaded guilty to amended charges of conspiracy to commit murder and is scheduled to appear in court in December where a sentencing date is expected to be set.

Joplin Toddler Dies After Being Left Alone By Caregiver Who Went To Methadone Clinic:

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Eric J. Hicks (mug shot JCSO)

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Authorities in Joplin say a toddler was found dead in his crib after being left home alone by his mother's boyfriend who went to an appointment at a methadone clinic.

It's not clear yet whether 18-month-old Emjay Corn was dead or in some sort of medical distress when 28 year-old Eric J. Hicks returned after being gone for about an hour on Saturday (10-29-11).

Cpl. Chuck Niess said HIPPA (medical) laws prevent him from divulging where the little boy's mother, Nichole Hall, 32, was at the time of her son's death.  However, sources say Hall was in a mental hospital at the time her little boy died.
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Emjay Corn (courtesy of Pam Oakes-Corn)

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Niess said an autopsy on the boy was performed yesterday in Columbia, "We're still waiting on the autopsy reports to determine a cause of death," Niess said

Hicks, who has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, is being held in the Jasper County jail on $10,000 bond.
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Update:

Hicks has been released from jail after posting bond.

Overpopulated American Prisons: Can the Problem be Fixed?:

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Crime rates in the United States have historically been no higher than any other Western country. We are apprised of this fact by the International Crime Victimization Survey. Nevertheless, the United States has more people in prison than any other nation. The strategy of the U.S. criminal justice system is not working. You don't need a criminal justice degree to understand the complications in the system. The reason that there is an overpopulation problem in the prison system is quite simple; the incarceration rates have risen. There may be many opinions on how that happened, but the facts do not support that the U.S. crime rate is higher than in any other Western country to explain it. There is a reason that most never consider when contemplating the extremely high incarceration numbers in prisons. That reason is politics. Politics is the single biggest reason U.S. prisons are overpopulated.

In the news lately, we often hear about violent crimes affecting people while they are innocently going about their day. The place where Americans do stand out in the international crime statistics is violence involving guns. The U.S. is among the highest among the statistics involving gun violence. Keeping that in mind, only one-fourth of the prisoners in U.S. prisons were there for gun violence, or for any other crime involving violence. Reports in the media are one reason we are under the false impression that most people in jail are there for violence, or that America is the most violent country among Western nations. Watching news reports about violent crime can make people feel that way.

This may explain the popularity of tougher stances on all crime during the 1980s and 1990s, regardless of whether the crime was violent or non-violent. Mandatory sentencing was politicized by many politicians of the past. It quelled the fears of voters and got politicians elected. The earlier idea of mandatory sentencing for non-violent offenders may be changing. Back when the mandatory sentencing and tougher crime stance took place in the '80s and '90s, we could afford the increase for incarceration expenditures. That is no longer the case; state budgets are shrinking from the recent recession, and states are finding that treatment is better and more cost effective than jail for many prisoners. For instance, Michigan has closed eight prisons and has reduced the number of prisoners by 3,260. This is attributable to drug and alcohol counseling, and job training; all of which are done outside of the prison. The recidivism rate is astonishingly low, compared to answering the problems of these offenders by incarcerating them. There is a 70 percent success rate from these programs, compared to a 17 percent success rate from incarceration. The same type of approach is starting to appeal to other states as well. New York's inmate population has decreased by 13 percent. New York officials are considering closing one or more prisons. This reduction is also due to reduced sentencing and alcohol and drug programs outside of the prison system. Considering that the average annual cost of incarceration is $28,817, it is much wiser to let these non-violent offenders enter supervised programs in order to cut state budgets, and give those who made bad life choices another chance to be productive citizens. The population of prisoners should consist of inmates who committed crimes against others, instead of crimes against themselves.

Prisons are big business, and as most of us know, politicians love big business. As a nation, we are struggling to repair failing bridges and roads because of shrinking state budgets. We should not be spending so much money on imprisoning people who actually need rehabilitation programs instead of prison. Many people rally around punishment for the simple reason that they feel the non-violent offender deserves it. However, it is not enough of a reason to sacrifice our infrastructure when these people can be rehabilitated through programs outside of the prison that cost much less in both the short and long run. Take the politics out of the business of prison and we have solved the overcrowding of the U.S. prison system. It is as simple as that.

Note:

The above piece was contributed by Marie Owens