Most violations of law are not reported, and most reported crimes are not solved. 

“Why me?” is the question most drivers ask when ticketed for speeding, although they were merely keeping pace with the 80 mph flow of traffic. 

That’s the view expressed in “The politics driving Trump’s conviction” (June 20-26), since there is not even a possible, let alone reasonable, doubt that the former president did what he was accused of. 

All criminal justice is political. Food stamp (SNAP) fraud in PA could result in seven years in prison.  White collar crime is largely white crime (and correlated to higher socioeconomic status)—driving the nation into recession, as in 2008, which resulted only in civil penalties. 

Deterrence of career criminals like Donald Trump is possible only by their incapacitation, i.e., by isolating them from the larger society. Incarceration is the sole, appropriate methodology for correction; otherwise, recidivism seems likely.

John A. MacKinnon
Lackawaxen, PA