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While the number of individuals in prison may be small when compared with our state and nation's record expanding population, the number is far too large.

Of equal concern is the growing number who commit crimes and are never caught.

We are fortunate to have good law enforcement by all of the agencies in Blount County. Some of the urban areas are not as fortunate.

The nation's prison population ranges in the neighborhood of 2.3 million individuals, the highest total of any country in the world. If you add in those on either parole or probation, the figure goes to 7 million.

Nationally, one of every 100 persons are in prison at an average cost of $22,650 per year, per prisoner, enough to send them to many colleges.

In Tennessee, we have about 20,000 in state prisons, including 2,500 who were convicted of murder with 90 on death row. In 2007, Tennessee spent $619 million on state prisons.

California, thinking of turning prisoners loose to lower costs, spent $8.8 billion on prisons in 2007.

Nationally, 53 percent of those in prison are there for violent crimes, 20 percent for drugs, 19 percent for cases involving property, and 8 percent for violation of law and order.

In Tennessee, thanks to a special investigative force established by the legislature, since February 2005 more than 1,050 individuals have been caught stealing from TennCare. That has resulted in restoration of $2.5 million in funds and avoiding an estimated $171 million further loss to TennCare. Some, even from out of state, have lied to get medications or services to which they were not entitled, many to sell the drugs obtained to others.

You and I are paying for their upkeep in taxes.

The breakdown of family life and the decline in active family involvement in church life have been major contributors to the increase in crime.

Whether we like it or not, we must also attribute some of the blame to the high standard of living which our nation enjoys. It makes many areas of mischief more readily available at an earlier age and it also causes more temptations for many who are poorer and less educated, whatever the reason.

Today we are beginning to hear the need for classes of instruction in ethics. In some professional groups, the question is often determining at what point our actions become unethical. These discussions are being held with those in the field of journalism as well as law, medicine and other professions.

We think there is a great need for some of the basic ideas of ethics to be taught by various institutions as well as by our leaders who greatly influence our lives, both by instruction and example.

Following the Golden Rule is one of the basic guides to sound ethics:

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

That covers a lot of ground. Most of those in prison or who should be in prison, have totally ignored the Golden Rule, a great rule of ethics.