ICLU says 99-year meth sentence is the wrong answer

The Iowa Civil Liberties Union says a law signed by Governor Vilsack Tuesdayimposing a 99-year sentence on meth dealers is “outrageous overkill.”I-C-L-U Executive Director Ben Stone says the law may get politiciansre-elected, but it won’t help the methamphetamine problem in Iowa.Stone says the legislature has continued to increase sentences for crimesand has only succeeded in filling up prisons.He says meth dealers won’t be scared by the 99-year sentence because theyaren’t paying attention.Stone says the law would lock someone up for 99-years even if it was a firstoffense. He says the money used to lock up the offenders in prison forseveral years would be better spent in rehabilitating and educating them.Stone says history will show that enacting the 99-year sentence for methdealers was a horrible and avoidable mistake.