Over the last year there has been a crimewave throughout the state that our legislators have turned a deaf ear to. Stolen cars, car break-ins, and shootings happening with such frequency they are commonplace. During the overnight hours of December 8, more than 100 vehicles were broken into in Newington, prompting the mayor to write a letter to state legislators citing that the offenders were primarily juveniles. In the recent shoot out on West Main Street in Meriden at 2:15 p.m., once again a juvenile was among those arrested.

One might think that state legislators would be more responsive since they, in part, are responsible for this crimewave. They voted to increase the age for juvenile offenders from age 16 to 18, making juvenile offenders virtually exempt of punishment, freeing them to make us victims over and over again. If Governor Malloy had had his way, the law for juvenile offenders would have been up to age 20.

Recent news articles regarding low-crime rates and the closing of another prison in Connecticut would make the reader think everything is getting better. In reality, government does not want to foot the cost of incarcerating offenders. It is cheaper to allow them into society to prey on us.

Ronald Cornell

Meriden