Today (Monday) I was making one of my usual trips to the convenience center. While there, a lady backed her vehicle in beside me. After unloading her trash she helped me with some of mine, seeing that I had more than the normal kitchen garbage.

We lamented the convenience center experience since the removal of the prisoner assistance. We both agreed that the Sheriff's decision was the proper thing to do under the circumstances.

It later occured to me that there might be a possible alternative. I notice in the Courier that there are lots of court cases where the convicted persons are given suspended sentences and or a specified amount of time on probation.

Obviously Judge Melton thinks that these people are trustworthy. Perhaps these people could be sentenced to a specified amount of time to be served as community service. The convenience center would be one such service and I am sure there could be others.

This could be used as a mild form of punishment and the people serving could feel that they were in a small way paying for their crime.

I heard a fellow say about his upcoming court case,(not his first one) that he hoped the Judge would give him some more of that probation. Seems it kept him out of jail, but didn't change his ways. Probation by itself doesn't seem to be an effective deterrent for most lawbreakers.

 Thank you,

Bill E. Asbury
3996 Porterfield Rd
Readyville, TN 37149