Letters to the Editor: Why Democrats should welcome tougher laws on retail theft

To the editor: I am a registered Democrat who is all for society progressing. Still, I do not regard a lack of sufficient consequences for criminal behavior as progress. People who commit crimes should pay a price for their misdeeds. (“California Legislature passes bills to curb retail theft over objections from some Democrats,” Aug. 12)

Persons who are tempted to behave badly must believe there is:

• A very good chance of being caught in the act.
  
• A strong likelihood that their act will not bear enough reward to warrant the risk.
  
• Certainty that the punishment will be harsh.

I have no patience for vandals, thieves or any other offenders, whether their crimes are “violent” or not. Any crime is an act committed against all law-abiding members of society. When crime is not prevented or the perpetrator is not caught and punished, all of us suffer and the criminal behavior is encouraged.

We should all welcome laws that assure criminals will be sufficiently punished. Therefore, the state bills recently passed by the Legislature to address retail theft and other crimes can do nothing but good for our civilization.

Lastly, I don’t care what race a criminal is. If their behavior leads to incarceration, so be it.

Mark Driskill, Long Beach

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To the editor: Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) is quoted as saying, “Criminalization too often falls on the backs of Black and Latino Californians.” Your article says members of the Legislative Black Caucus do not want to see more people sent to prison.

If someone commits a crime, no matter who they are, they should go to prison. If a person does not commit a crime, normally they do not go to prison. So just don’t commit crimes.

Dafni Black, Culver City