>Just thought I'd post an update on my campaign . . .
>
>http://www.memphisflyer.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A10241

You quote your opponent as saying "we can't arrest our way out of the crime problem." And then you claim he is wrong.

But a review of the evidence says he is close to being correct. Despite an increase in arrests and incarcerations in the US - the crime rate has gone up.
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:c1cTlBtfDsoJ:www.sentencingproject.org/pdfs/9030summary.pdf+us+crime+rate+incarceration+rate&hl=en&client=netscape-pp

Note the US has the highest incarcerartion rate and the highest crine rate in the world. So the "arrest" our way out of it may not be working.

There was a movie produced several years back, Lone Star. In it a sheriff, who doesn't believe county money should be spent for a new jail is challenged by one of his deputies that has the backing of the local mafia (err, I mean public works contractors). The challenger claims the jail is a good idea. I guess the money man's ideas are always right.

The US has a prison industrial complex - jail building is big business:
http://www.prisonsucks.com/

Of course victimeless crimes and sentencing guidlines are probably hardballed and lobbied by the prison industry - but we should never confuse incarceration with crime fighting. It's just an excuse to take money away from schools and other public services for that never ending gravy train lined up at the pursors window in city hall!

Good luck - and never forget you work for the taxpayer and not the guy at the pursor's window!