Regarding "No peace outside 'The Box,'" April 25, I have personal reservations and misgivings about the Special Housing Unit, or SHU, to be sure. I've seen it first hand. Not much in the criminal justice system is pretty and locking a person up is not always the solution.
However, the choice of Jeffrey Rockefeller as the example in this story in our view distorts the point of the piece. Mr. Rockefeller has 22 arrests and 17 convictions, including aggravated harassment, intimidating a witness, making a terrorist threat, stalking, amongst others. While his convictions are for misdemeanors and "only" one felony, his conduct has disrupted many lives and left his victims and their families in fear.
Your readers should know that many of us in the criminal justice system have worked on many occasions to try and address Mr. Rockefeller's issues. Unfortunately, he has not. He has been offered and refused treatment on numerous occasions. His incarceration in state prison was the result of his failure to abide by the terms and conditions of his probation.
In the end, the remedy left for the criminal justice system is deprivation of freedom. And Mr. Rockefeller's conduct or lack of willingness to address his issues led to that incarceration. In my opinion, he has failed despite what he's been offered by the system. As they say, "You can lead a horse to water..."
What I know is that Mr. Rockefeller's incarceration made those of us who have endured his threats feel safer for at least that time. What I don't know is whether time in "The Box" helped solve a long-term problem or just aggravate old demons.
Richard J. McNally Jr.
District Attorney
Rensselaer County