What about the boot camp’s successes?

To the editor:

In reply to the March 8 article and March 12 editorial regarding the state of Nevada boot camp located at Indian Springs, I offer the following observation, which is made after my personal contact with the boot camp during the past three years:

To use their figures, 890 prisoners have been in the program in the past three years. Each of these men is a convicted felon, a first-time nonviolent offender. The article states that 390 of the men "ended up behind bars," 232 of which refused to cooperate at all and opted to go to prison without even trying.

The headline says, "Nearly 44 percent commit additional crimes," and that it costs $42 per day, per inmate to operate the program. However, it does not give the cost of sending those failed prisoners into the state prison system to complete a sentence that is at least five years in length.

I am a member of the Pahrump prison ministry team, which has been ministering to the prisoners in this program once every week during the time referred to in these articles. I have had the opportunity to see the men who graduate from this program of military discipline. They take pride in having completed something, perhaps for the first time in their lives.

They have had the opportunity to obtain their high school diplomas or study for and receive their GED during that time. They have attended life-skills classes, learned to work had and obey orders.

It was stated that 44 percent failed, which means that 56 percent have succeeded. Every one of the 890 men who entered the Nevada boot camp program of military discipline began as a failure, and 500 of them have become winners.

The officers conducting that program are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the men attending the program. They are to be congratulated.

IRENE HUNT

PAHRUMP

No felonies

To the editor:

In response to the Thursday story, "Kosher meal deal reached with inmate":

Nevada prison inmate Howard Ackerman and his attorney should remember that, although keeping kosher is "an essential tenet of Orthodox Judaism," it's also true that "thou should not commit any felonies" -- in this case kidnapping -- is also a very important tenet.

Paulina Roth

Henderson

Say 'cheese'

To the editor:

The "Resort Corridor Workgroup," a high-level gaming group, has proposed that more cameras spying on us will help curb the selling of illegal water on the Strip ("Keeping an eye on the Strip," Thursday Review-Journal). My question: Who is this group to secretly decide on how to further invade the public's privacy?

Besides, one has to look only at the thousands of cameras used on the U.S.-Mexico border to see how well that works.

To stop illegal behavior, authorities should simply enforce the law. The use of plain-clothes detectives could bring many illegal activities on the Strip to a halt. Cameras will just make people smile.

Ron Moers

Henderson

Have a heart

To the editor:

In response to your recent article, "Doctors defend heart transplant":

I do not understand why anyone would be defensive about transplanting a heart in a 71-year-old man (former Vice President Dick Cheney). He has insurance, doesn't he?

BARBARA CANDLER

LAS VEGAS

Bus ride

To the editor:

I see the conflict between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists escalating. Cycling and walking the streets of Las Vegas, I am seeing it happen more and more. The price of gas continues to go up, even though war has not started in Iran. When it does, what then?

Had I been told three years ago I would be riding public transportation, I would have said, "No way." Now I say no other way. Even with the increases in fares, it is a win-win for me. My transportation costs me $1 a day, and with a fare increase it will be $1.40.

A few of the downsides: The hygiene of passengers, odors, vulgarity, rude bus drivers. Remedies? Hand sanitizer, headphones with noise reduction, perfume, a lot of smiling.

I can text, talk on my cellphone and e-read to my heart's content. The money I save on the cost of an auto outweighs any negatives of public transportation.

So think about it next time you are sitting at a light, having to wait for all the pedestrians and cyclists, burning gas at $4 a gallon or more just so you can sit in your private haven, with darkened windows, doing things you know you shouldn't be doing while driving.

Larry Pepper

Las Vegas