To the editor:

I believe that our criminal justice system is in need of major reform. I believe that policies regarding police use of force and weapons need to be changed. New police methods of interacting and communicating with the public need to be adopted. New sentencing guidelines and alternatives to incarceration need to be developed. Greater emphasis is needed on programs of diversion, rehabilitation and job training for youth and first-time offenders. Most importantly, effective mental health services should be available to all individuals who are apprehended and accused of violating our community standards. And for those for whom incarceration is necessary, humane jail conditions that give individuals hope for a better life in the future must be the norm at all times.

For all these reasons, I am voting for Proposition 1.