LETTER TO THE EDITOR: LOOK TO PARENTS IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE JUVENILE CRIME

Dear Sir;

I read the January 24, 1994, Southeast Missourian article headlined "State Senate committee to consider bills aimed at curbing juvenile crime" with disbelief and dismay. The article states that two State Senators were endorsing laws that would make it illegal for juveniles "to carry a concealable firearm" or to "make it illegal for anybody under 21 to carry a concealed weapon." (Would that make it legal for those OVER 21 to carry concealed weapons?)

Mr. Danner and Mr. Moseley are supposed to be knowledgeable legislators yet neither seems to know that it is already against the law for anyone in the state of Missouri to carry a concealed weapon regardless of age. Furthermore, these "legislators" seem to be unaware of the fact that murder and armed mayhem are already illegal in Missouri. They also should be aware that it is already illegal to sell drugs or use illicit weapons regardless of the proximity to a school. "Drug free, gun free" school zones are merely useless symbols designed to massage the egos of inept politicians and in point of fact have already been invalidated by the courts.

Our so-called "legislators" are seemingly only interested in generating publicity directed toward their own enrichment (spell that re-election). The proposed new laws are both useless and redundant. They only add to the plethora of 20,000 existing gun control laws and further limit the rights of the law-abiding, tax-paying citizens.

Should the senators truly wish to make a difference in the juvenile crime statistics in Missouri, the focus must be placed on education and parental responsibility. The legislature must provide a workable funding policy that provides for better schools, more and better paid police officers, more and better paid judges and prosecutors, more and larger prisons, and above all, stringent enforcement of existing laws.

JAMES HANKINS

Cape Girardeau