Watching Memphis Channel 3 news, I saw a call for more cameras in an area. I am in favor of catching the bad guys on video and locking them up.

There are, however, two real problems with that. A. It is very rare for anyone to be caught. Most of the bad guys have gotten wise to cameras and hide their faces. B. When they are caught, most hardly receive more than a slap on the hand, especially those who are underage.

The primary solution is to put the criminals in prison for as long as possible. The criminals behind bars are less likely to commit crimes. Moreover, when they realize they will truly spend real time in prison if caught, they are less likely to break the law. Finally, the prisons need to be drastically changed. They do not need televisions. Radios should be limited, both for programming and time. Inmates should be required to be clean-shaven and have very short hair.

But then, just because it worked in times past, why should it work now? By definition, a penitentiary is for punishment.