Get to the root of crime

I appreciate the stress you put on the folly of our present ``prison reform'' programs in the editorial ``False Toughness,'' Sept. 20.

As with most major issues today, as a society we seem content to attack crime and punishment starting from its results rather than in its causes. We seem unable to think up any solutions to curb crime so we vent our anger on those already convicted.

This is as nonsensical as our approach to teen pregnancy: We can give a condom to control the aftereffect, but not the concern or example to avoid the situation.

It seems we prefer to canonize the process of ``coverup.'' Mary Lea Hill, Boston

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