Libraries vs. video games; criminals working in the home healthcare industry; a death row delay

Playing the game

Re “Libraries bleed, games gain,” Column, Sept 24

I read Hector Tobar’s column with particular interest: One of our children is a gamer, while the other attends UC Santa Cruz and wants to become a librarian. (I will say, however, that the gamer also does a lot of reading, with an avid interest in U.S. history and economics).

Perhaps Tobar should initiate a campaign asking people, especially regular gaming customers, to send letters to electronics giants and game makers calling on them to contribute some of their massive profits toward keeping libraries open.

Crista Worthy

Los Angeles

It’s a sad state of society when kids are more literate on Halo than Harry Potter.

I have a console-free household (if you don’t count the circa-1973 Atari Pong hooked up to the living room TV) and intend to keep it so, for as long as possible.

Limiting library hours is a bad thing — a sure way to bring about societal decay.

Peter Isaacson

Whittier

Thanks to Tobar for voicing my outrage.

I am a middle school teacher. I too was disturbed when I found out a number of our students were allowed to attend the midnight release of Halo: Reach and then miss school the next day, either due to exhaustion or to continue playing the game.

I eagerly await The Times’ publication of the “least effective parenting” database.

Sharon Klein Hart

Santa Monica

Felons as caregivers

Re “Many felons work as state caregivers, “ Sept. 24, and “Gov. sees ‘crisis’ in caregiver program,”

Sept. 25

Felons working as state caregivers or in any other job is a positive situation in our economy.

The laws of California and most other states make it difficult if not impossible for a person who has been in prison to find a means to support himself after release. The result is a recidivism rate two to three times greater than that of other modern countries, most of which help felons find jobs after they’ve been released.

Our policy on that subject does not create greater safety for us; it makes our environment less safe because the person unable to find a job frequently returns to criminal practices to make a living. Numerous studies support this conclusion.

It must be admitted that there is the possibility of former felons abusing or defrauding those they care for or perform other work for, but our policies multiply that possibility rather than reduce it.

Bruce Boyd

Valley Glen

I am appalled that an employee union apparently refuses to block criminals in our home healthcare program from working with elderly/sick people.

I am also angry that our Legislature is so weak that it can’t put in place standards to protect people.

The weakest and most vulnerable here are not given the slightest concern, in exchange for more union power/dues and donations to Democratic legislators.

Christina Jacobs

Long Beach

The perpetrators highlighted here cannot continue working in this profession.

These people broke faith with society, and although they have “paid” their price, it is inconceivable to think a jail term requires society to have faith in them again.

Every citizen should contact his or her Assembly or state Senate representative and demand that they restrict these people from working in the caregiver field.

In the meantime, every family with members receiving this kind of care should go online and ask that the caregiver — if found to have a criminal record — be removed.

Alan L. Strzemieczny

Riverside

Given Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s track record, this latest pronouncement of a “public safety crisis” should be met with extreme skepticism.

Under current law, In Home Supportive Services consumers can obtain information on the criminal background history of their providers or prospective providers. But Schwarzenegger has failed to provide needed regulations to guide the counties in implementing this.

If the governor is so interested in protecting elderly and disabled consumers, why has he cut funding for Adult Protective Services and for the social workers that administer IHSS?

Schwarzenegger is using this crime scare tactic as an excuse to cut the program, not to protect consumers.

Steve Mehlman

Sacramento

The writer is communication director for UDW homecare providers.

Execution on hold

Re “Execution delayed by legal issues,” Sept. 28, “Delaying the death penalty,” Editorial, Sept. 28, and “Murderer’s execution OKd,” Sept. 25

The state of California, which can’t pass a budget, built a shiny new execution chamber and badly wants to use it. However, it is running out of the execution drug it needs and is rushing to execute a man before the expiration date of the drug passes.

How can there be any confidence that a state that can’t do much of anything right can fairly, much less humanely, put someone to death?

Andrew Love

Berkeley

A U.S. District Court judge finally cleared the way last week for the planned execution of convicted murderer Albert Brown. This is a case that has been through countless appeals for decades. So it sounds like “case closed,” right?

Well, think again.

Your article goes on to explain that his lawyers can and will continue to run from court to court until they find a sympathetic judge.

Where is the logic in this system?

This is a case that has been reviewed by the courts for decades. And where is the justice for the family of the victim?

No wonder there is such little respect for our legal system.

Robert Newman

West Hills

I think putting a condemned man through anticipation of execution twice is cruel and unusual punishment of the worst sort. The governor should have commuted this sentence under the circumstances.

Louis Elteto

Portland, Ore.

Brown is grasping at straws. He’s had a 30-year reprieve from a merciful justice system for abducting, raping and finally killing 15-year-old Susan Jordan in 1980.

It’s time to pull the plug. Brown has been on state life-support for far too

long.

Anna Koepke

El Sobante

Please let me add to your outstanding editorial that when Californians in recent polls have been offered a choice between the death penalty and life without possibility of

parole, a plurality have preferred life without parole.

And when offered the alternative of life without parole plus restitution to the victim’s family, the number dropped even more dramatically in

one 2009 survey, although most had supported the death penalty in the

abstract.

Margo Schulter

Sacramento

Kind words for a last word

Re “The last word,” Opinion, Sept. 26

What a pleasure to read a point of view — taking on “today’s radioactive politics for the sake of my 1-year-old grandson” — made with humor, intelligence and conviction.

I am so heartily sick of the hate-filled rhetoric, full of lies, that seem to be given more ink and airtime than more reasoned opinions.

It was a beautifully written essay by a very talented writer.

Gaylon Monteverde

El Cajon