CEDAR FALLS -- Does Iowa's County Attorney's Association really have to oppose any piece of mildly progressive criminal justice legislation that comes up? Do they see their job as mainly "lock 'em up" or do they have a broader vision of justice and public safety? The article on Feb. 16 about changes to life without parole legislation (HF 377) makes it sound like the former. This bill does not abolish life without parole nor does it say every Class A felon should be released. It simply provides a process by which deserving cases can be systematically reviewed and a recommendation for commutation made where appropriate. This seems like an appropriately just measure that saves taxpayers the cost of unnecessary imprisonment. I wish that The Courier reporter had devoted more space for advocates to explain the measure, rather than having over half of the article filled with prosecutor's quotes. I encourage interested people to go to the Iowa Legislature's website and actually read the legislation.