Show Burger proposals are good beginning La wfrk U S Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger told graduating seniors at Georgetown University that prison reform is long overdue Burger made several interesting proposals for reform during the commencement address First he proposed that a national corrections academy be established by the federal government Much like the academy which inalready exists for Fol agents this institution would for best struct prison personnel on the running techniques a prison Burger also proposed that vocational training for prisoners tie mandatory fie said that it is shocking that men and women leave our prisons with no valuable skills He also said that people who leave prison are often better criminals than when they entered Burger has hit the nail on the head It is just about time that something be dune about the shoe king state of corrections — if we can use that word so loosely — in this nation The proposals advocated by Burger are a necessary first step but that is all they are They don't go quite far job-orient- ed enough Overcrowding in prisons a problem which has plagued us for years has been accelerated since the late 1960s when the trend was against building new prison facilities The theory was that if no new prisons were built the justice system would have to find a better way to handle privmers It didn’t work: prisoners were simply packed like sardines into existing facilities Living conditions in many prisons are barely tolerable (though they have improved since the days when men like Warden Joseph Ragen used fear and hatred to make their prisons work) Courts in at least six different states have ruled that prison living conditions there violated the Constitution's Eighth Amendment prohibition against “cruel and unusual punishment" Sexual harrassment of prison inmates by other inmates is a pervasive and recurring profile m One Pennsylvania study of the problem for instance puts the number of men who have been subjected to homosexual rape by other inmates at 2000 out of a total state prison population of close to 60000 This is considered a conservative estimate by many experts The list goes on but the problem is clear While no one suggests that prisons should be country clubs for criminals we do suggest that they have a purpose to serve If all they do is train new generations of thiefs and murderers they are not fulfilling that purpose Change is needed and Burger’s proposals are a good place to start r 3 Ihe I Itah Statesman uses MI4CO Joan Want editor Baker faculty advnrr Ikr I rs4 Swnntt is wrtttm and Sttnlrnt of ftah Statr edited In University Editorial opinions an- v4K those u( the editorial board and those writers with signed artnirs They do not nrtrssarily rtdo 1 the opinions of Utah State L'ntsersilv or ASUSU LETTFR POLICY The editor reserves the right to edit refuse or print any Irttrr Lrttrrs that are typewritten and limned to 81X1 word ur less will reeetve first Letters must be signed - heard there was talk of prison reform Inuing deodorant “Yeah do the trUk!” elC-ftegS Lease cancellation criticized To the editor: Change are being made on this campus “which are good for us” but for which we have link if any real input And the changes are bring made which will profoundly afTrcl all who follow our foot Mr ps here One "change" is that Fred Thunnell has had his kase canceled because “the university needs the spare" This was Gary Chambers' explanation He is in SC 220 if anyone else cares to talk with him He runs SC space management from there Not too long ago he was a staff assistant in the Lifespan Learning Program Now if the university needs the space and if the university can be putting up new facilities for Lifespan Learning just what in the hell are they doing running the students building? I am told that there is an ad Ihnce-weeld- 710-175- 9 tmnistrative board that “for continuity makes the substantial decisions Also serving on the board are some of the student body elected officials They have a year perhaps Big deal! It bothers me that Fred Thunnell had his kase pulled He provided a service of much more value to me than the “kitch" shop across the corridor or the silkscreening area that once was a student crafts area And how about the rows of photolabs that used to be available to students? It looks like the guys with the money are pulling the building right out from under student needs If and when needs were assessed who was consulted? I was not! Yet I pay student fees with my tuition each quarter There are other moves going on without the knowledge or the involvement of the student - body but let's not nisi The Taggart Center school property by wshtl the governor and it the time thai the XudtU Wj cared enough about wkitlks money went and whit ul they were really getting U control away from lk mimstrative Council S It happened at Chics htok Caiiet when Stanford m President there I k the was h® unck wife's deni manager and gtksky when the student fig""-thecouldn't afford don’t think we can afW either setup USU has the time govenwrf about date was carried out 0 the Administrative Coo with a student govemeg and a real student uni H Cerd--C Don’t restrict Noble’s freedoo To the editor: with the author's trur name student number and phone number 7V LtaS Stair naan is published y during the sclwail year except during finals and st head holidays Quarter bteaks Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving Day and Presidents" Day are srhiail holidays EDITORIAL OFFICES ate in Room JIJ Taggart Student Center business office in Room 317 phone SECOND CLASS mailing paid in Logan Utah 84J2I really Mgfci ‘ In regards to the letter cording to Wrbiter ’s con- - Alew Die - tmmmry It ia generally accepted that Chria Noble’a cartoona the editorial page is reserved for (Statesman May 20) see fed expressing personal opinion that Mr Vincent’s vies of an Chris Noble has expressed ku editorial cartoon is extremely personal opmioos lnK distorted red mveral It is the concern of the news negative remarks on them It is as the job of the editorial reporter to be objective in staling the new to the public staff or anyone else to put limits The concern of the cartoonist is on the opinions of others into exaggerate an event or opi- cluding the VastemexV carnion in a satirical manner ac toonist the distaatefulncas of Vincent aeetn aa ting to limit freedom of opine suggest Mr VnC"Ltf reread your ow consider your We like d toons the way they them to continue tX' |