7/1/03

For those interested in crime generally, there is a debate today between the editors of USA Today and myself on the current move by states to save money by cutting back on law enforcement. I think many who support the changes are motivated more by the desire to reduce penalties that they regard as too harsh than they are motivated to save money. I agree with USA Today on some of these issues and that penalties for some crimes should be cut or eliminated, but I think that it is a mistake to try to cut penalties across the board.

Last night I was also on MSNBC debating whether teachers should be able to carry concealed handguns at elementary and secondary schools. It is obviously an emotional issue, but it seems hard to me how one can make the hypothetical fear based arguments without some reference to what happened prior to the 1995 federal law banning guns within a 1000 feet of a school. Prior to that law permit holders were regularly able to carry their guns on school property and there is no record of any problems.

6/30/03

The National Review has an extremely (overly) nice review of my book in the latest issue.