Readers write for Thursday, May 6

The recurring problem of obsolete offender tracking and monitoring isn't unique to Minnesota ("Should alleged cop killers have been free?", May 5). It's cropping up in other states as well, and in more than just probation violation cases. Any probation offender should be made known to law enforcement working on gangs and should be given a high priority, because the case is made and ready to go before a judge.

The fact that only five people are looking for offenders in Minnesota is really a statement that the information is not getting into the hands of those who need it. Similarly, if you look at the state's sex offender registry, you'll find a system based on zip codes similar in some ways to the one in the San Diego area, where an untracked felon killed for the second time.

As technology progresses, these systems should be systematically revamped and updated, lest they become obsolete and incapable of even protecting the protectors themselves.

CURTIS BUTTURFF, ROCHESTER

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I was struck by two stories in the Star Tribune. One described the terrible execution-style killing of an outstanding police officer, committed by two young men who appeared to have no remorse for their abhorrent behavior. The second story focused on the slashing of the Minnesota state budget, targeted at the costs of human services ("Pawlenty to Capitol: Cut $536M or I will," May 5).

How do these stories fit together?

Child abuse and neglect must be addressed. It is a known causal factor in criminal behavior. Yet, as the director of a nonprofit agency that treats abused children, I see we are miles away from solving this problem.

More cuts to human services will not help. Attention to this problem can and will make a difference if we decide as a community that we will no longer accept child abuse as a fact of life.

LIBBY BERGMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAMILY ENHANCEMENT CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS

I have previously been involved in hospital labor relations. There are no winners in a strike ("Metro hospitals, nurses prep for a possible strike," May 4).

The patients do not get the quality of care they deserve prior to, during and after a strike. Bitter feelings between striking and nonstriking employees certainly develop. Relations between employees and management are clearly strained. Much energy is focused on negative attitudes, which negatively impacts the care patients receive.

The impact on hospitals would also be very negative, financially and with employee and patient relations.

I would urge both sides to put their energy into being creative and finding solutions that prevent this strike from becoming a reality. Your patients deserve this effort from both sides. No one wins in a strike, and both sides can win by preventing one.

BILL MACNALLY, BLAINE

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Those who have spent time in a hospital know how vital nurses are. I support their concerns about staffing issues. It is foolish to take the unnecessary risk of placing them in a unit in which they have no experience, increasing the chance that mistakes will be made. Even though pay doesn't seem like a major issue in the current dispute, many would agree that nurses are underpaid for the important work they do. Could this be because they carry a stethoscope and not a football?

As legislators prepare to wrap up the session, I wonder why they are concerned about alcohol in the Gophers stadium ("TCF Stadium bill comes up dry," May 4) and about how to fold a flag ("Let 'L'etoile' shine when folding the flag," May 4).

Please focus on how to meet our commitment to the land grant institution and let the regents discuss how to run a football stadium. Please focus on how to take care of our servicemen and veterans rather than how to fold the state flag.

DAVID ABRAMS, MINNETONKA

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I don't own a Minnesota state flag, but if I do choose to purchase and fly one, I guess I will also have to sign up for a class on the Japanese art of origami.

I've been a resident of the Detroit area for nearly 50 years, and while in Minneapolis on business I attended the Twins vs. Tigers game Tuesday night.

I want to pass along a sincere thank you to the Twins organization for the way they acknowledged the passing of Tigers' announcer Ernie Harwell ("Beloved voice of Tigers dead at 92," May 5). Ernie was the voice of baseball in Detroit for decades and played a significant part in my childhood and in my appreciation for baseball.

When I heard he passed, I was saddened. And just moments later, the Twins turned off the scoreboards and asked for a moment of silence.

A class act. And very appreciated by this out-of-towner and baseball fan. Thank you to the Twins organization and, more specifically, to the people who made this decision.