As is often the case, I feel somewhat superfluous. My role is, I assume, to provide a brief period of peace while Peter Greenwood regains his equanimity. While the papers merit your attention, I won’t try to respond to them. Instead, I’ll respond to some of the things that have been said, and then put my own perspective on this issue to you.

I am skeptical of selective incapacitation’s ability to provide guidance for a mature response to prison overcrowding. I am equally skeptical that a”just deserts” theory of sentencing will help resolve the problem. I am further skeptical that you will find among my suggestions a response to the problem of prison overcrowding.