Don't feel too bad for youth prisoners

I thought the recent report condemning the poor conditions at the Illinois Youth Prison the goofiest and most pointless report I've read since the last goofy report. Did the John Howard Association forget the fact that these people are criminals? They are incarcerated to be punished, not live a life of luxury.

What's more, maybe the John Howard Association was so busy making their report they neglected to notice that this nation, the entire world, is in the middle of a terrible recession. Why should we be concerned about the welfare of criminals when millions of people are out of work, thousands are being thrown out of their houses with their furniture and belongings heaped up on the tree bank, millions more have no health care and are suffering and dying, and thousands are begging for a bed or their next meal. I think we have more pressing problems than worrying if a murderer, rapist, thief or gangbanger sleeps in a bunk bed or has a new toilet.

Tim Schmidgall

Elgin