Walt McNeil

Supporters of Amendment 3 say that first responders, especially law enforcers, would be held harmless by the measure.

But Leon Sheriff Walt McNeil insists programs like youth mentoring, early childhood family, and at-risk youth support services are just as important as guns, patrol cars, and jails.

If we don't have what I call those soft skills, the things that, that you do, that Cica does, we're going to have some real tough times in terms of crime getting back to where it used to be.

And the proposal may not be simply a way to save money.

That's a valid question.

You know, I heard, I don't remember what the context was, but Sheriff Walt McNeil one time explained that prisons are full of people who can't read above the third grade level.

That's how essential literacy is in the early education years.

Your kid, if he can't read at a third grade level, if he's not on track with that at the right time, his future is bleak.

Well, and Walt McNeil is one of those who understand.

There's a quote, building more prisons is like building more graveyards to address deadly disease.

Real expensive