In response to the overcrowded prison system, here’s an idea from someone I know who has written to representatives.

Alternatives to locking people up are desperately needed. How about having them actually pay their debt to society? Tell the prisoner that they’ll serve their time by working a 40-hour week and living in the community. Have two fees assessed: one to pay for monitoring, and another payable to the Maine Department of Corrections. They will also do community service for 10 hours a week for a nonprofit organization.

The money paid to the DOC on a weekly basis would be used to help fund the needs within the department. Instead of prisoners burdening the available resources, they’d be providing a resource for the DOC.

In my opinion, 10 percent of the prison population could be entered into this program. This translates into approximately 200 beds and $520,000 in approximate fees collected each week for a year.

Throwing taxpayer dollars at the overcrowding program won’t solve anything. In fact, I believe it could make it even worse. Putting a valid source of able-bodied people to work and having them pay a monetary amount would ease the taxpayer burden of providing the needs of the DOC.

It’s all in what people want. Do we warehouse people who needlessly burden resources? Or do we put them to work and give them a chance to make a contribution to the community and actually pay their debt to society?

Michael Milbury, Windham