Hearing someone say, “we need to get tough on crime” makes me think of “The Princess Bride.”
In one of my favorite scenes, Inigo Montoya (played by Mandy Patinkin) turns to Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) and says, “you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
While I believe people mean well when they say things like that, it is still a statement made out of sheer ignorance on the current state of the criminal justice system and how things work in the real world.
Because nothing works at ALL the way that the average citizen believes they do. In fact, a report by Libertarian think tank, The Cato Institute, calls it “rotten to the core.”
The phrase, for lack of a better term, carbon dates people. These polices are OLD. Dating back to the 1970’s and 80’s, and not at all based on actually evidence or data. Tough on Crime has been in place for a very long time and it fails spectacularly hand over fist. The United States Department of Justice published data on these policies failing as early as 1995.
I mention this a lot, but I earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice last year. All of my classes and textbooks drove home one vital truth: “Tough on Crime” or “Get Tough” Tactics were proven again and again to be ineffective. They’re a waste of resources and its time for change.
Today, we have a wealth of data to make better, more informed decisions. We no longer need to blindly guess when making policies.
I Want to Change the Public Conversation on Criminal Justice Policies
Things will never get better without a shift in public perception.
For the next few weeks, I’m publishing my work from my Master’s Program that demonstrate policies that DO work, and the system’s shift to prevent recidivism: Diversion Programs, Rehabilitation Measures, Causes of Crime.
These assignments demanded facts rather than opinion; gathering information and consolidating what I found.
I plan to publish them with the original scholarly sources. The only difference will be formatting and likely some headings and titles may be changed.
What are Scholarly Sources?
Scholarly Sources are articles written by experts, academics, and researchers; typically people at the forefront of a field. These individuals get new theories, study findings, and research out into the world to improve what academia and ultimately the public know about particular topics.
Why Should We Use Scholarly Sources?
Scholarly Sources are especially helpful because they:
- Contain verifiable facts and data,
- Are written by people/teams with good reputations and strong qualifications,
- Do not contain any bias.
This prevents partisan squabble when you’re sharing new ideas. Without bias attached, new information is not threatening; it’s enlightening.
Where Can I Get Scholarly Sources?
Local libraries and Colleges have lots of electronic databases available, usually free to their patrons. Google Scholar is also a fantastic resource.
Sharing is Caring
I invite you to follow along as I post these Fresh Ideas. I also encourage you to share and join me in improving public conversation on evidence-based criminal justice reform.
The Series that Started it All:
- How the Criminal Justice System Fails Veterans — And What Needs to Change
- The Dangers of Stop-and-Frisk: Key Concerns and Issues with Police Policies
- DNA Retention and its Future in Criminal Justice
- Court System Subcomponents Around the World: How Justice Systems Compare and Contrast
- The Case for Three Strikes Law Reform
- Crowdsourcing Justice: How “The New Irregulars” Are Exposing Systemic Corruption
