Crime Issue

* Longer prison sentences for sex offenders, carjackers, drive-by shooters and stalkers. Increased funding for sheriffs, police and other local law enforcement officials. Additional prison beds for dangerous felons. Boot camps for nonviolent offenders.

For starters, that would be my response to the question Sherry Bebitch Jeffe posed, but never answered, in her recent commentary on crime and the gubernatorial race (“Wilson Hoping Crime Will Assure His Job--but What Has He Done So Far?” Opinion, Jan. 9).

I’d also point out that Gov. Pete Wilson has been fighting for three years to keep violent criminals behind bars by reducing the time they now earn off their sentences for behaving and working in prison--and that one reason he convened his statewide crime summit is to galvanize lawmakers into passing tough sentencing reforms.

Crime may indeed become the “dominant theme” in this year’s election, but the record clearly demonstrates that it has always been a top priority for Wilson.

JOE SANDOVAL, Agency Secretary

Youth and Adult Correctional Agency

Sacramento

* It is hardly surprising that political clones of the governor, especially assembled by him for the “crime summit,” decided that the representative of the ACLU, with her customary courage and respect for the U.S. Constitution, should be “chastised” (Feb. 9). Of course, appeals are made in capital cases. They are mandated by law.

One more accolade for Ramona Ripston!

GRACE EHLMANN

North Hollywood