I have tried to analyze exactly what I find objectionable about a prison in my hometown community. And, I find it's not really even the fear of inmates escaping that is primarily in my mind, although, that would be a constant and nagging concern. Always there, beneath the surface.

No, what bothers me most about a prison next door is just the idea of what a prison is. It's a big, gray symbol of failure, depravity, the worst level to which we human beings can sink. Tortured souls are in there, people who've committed the most heinous crimes of all, and they'll remain there until they can graduate to an adult prison. Or perhaps, be released to the community.

The new prison will, no doubt, be an impressive structure: $8 million dollars worth. Probably nicely landscaped and well lighted-for obvious reasons! It will assuredly have all the latest "bells and whistles" that prison designers can concoct to provide security. And with all the money saved on the purchase of land, there might even be enough money for an extra alarm or two--maybe an extra thick security door.

Inside, we would like to envision young people perhaps playing basketball in a gym, reading in the library, writing letters home. And, maybe that's what they'll be doing. Perhaps there could be school field trips arranged--there, over there he killed his whole family, just think about that!

And I guess that's the crux of the matter for me . . . the thinking about it all the time. There it is. It's depressing. Every day, every time you drive by, you'll have to think about it. Murders, rapes, etc., people beyond hope. Humans in cages, even worse, young people who have a long time to live and already they've blown it.

This is not something to be pointed out with pride; this is our shame--our collective failure as a society. Maybe that's why we don't want to have a prison in our face all the time. Maybe that's why Alcatraz was put on an island!

We are a peaceful, loving community--do we really want this depressing symbol here forever--to be given to our children and grandchildren? Is this to be their heritage? Oh, how I wish we would look for something more uplifting to define our community.

Guest writer Ann Heskamp Curtis now lives in California, but keeps in touch with everything which goes on in Columbia. Appropriately, she grew up on Jamestown Hill, "where history was lived." She is the daughter of Effie Sandusky Heskamp, Columbia, and the late David Heskamp.