Written from the Symposium · Dec 11, 2024
Rita attended the Vera Institute’s two-day virtual symposium on Gun Violence in America — previewed on Clutch Justice on November 22, 2024. This piece was written the same day, directly in response to what she heard.
Today, the Vera Institute put on a truly amazing presentation regarding Gun Violence in America. I was incredibly fortunate to attend. And with that, I want to challenge the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Association of Michigan: embrace the data.
A Direct Challenge to PAAM
Year after year, multiple studies demonstrate that “tough on crime” policies and Mass Incarceration does not work. Yet, Prosecuting Attorneys across Michigan, across the country, are still employing it.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
So why keep doing it? When the evidence that what is being done isn’t working is so clearly laid out, who is it serving to ignore it?
The real answer, if we’re being honest, is no one. It damages communities and creates cycles of poverty. But Prosecutors have the power to change this.
Resources for Prosecutors Who Want to Lead
The tools, frameworks, and evidence-based models already exist. The question is whether prosecutors have the courage to use them.
Reform Framework
Brennan Center for Justice & Fair and Just Prosecution
21 Principles for the 21st Century Prosecutor — a concrete framework laying out specific policy shifts prosecutors can adopt to better serve their communities through evidence-based practice.
Read the 21 Principles →
Gun Diversion Research
Smart Decarceration Project — University of Chicago
Evidence-based diversion program models specifically addressing gun crimes — providing prosecutors and courts with alternatives to incarceration that are grounded in research and community outcomes.
Read the brief →
Research & Convening
Vera Institute of Justice
Original research, policy briefs, and convenings connecting prosecutors, researchers, and community practitioners on public safety alternatives. The organization whose symposium prompted this piece.
vera.org →
What Courage Actually Looks Like
It takes courage to lead — to stand up and admit that the way society has been doing things is wrong. People need leaders to show up and explain it to them, or they will never, ever understand. The data is there. The frameworks are there. The only missing ingredient is the willingness to act on what the evidence actually shows, rather than what reelection calculus demands.
The Questions Michigan Prosecutors Still Need to Answer
Why aren’t they leading the way?
Why aren’t they taking steps to protect the next generation of Michiganders from the cycles caused by mass incarceration?
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So You Want to Be a Citizen Detective
Rita Williams’ guide to investigating the systems that affect your life — public records, court filings, and the paper trails institutions leave behind.
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Related Coverage — Evidence, Prosecution, and the Public Safety Argument
How to cite: Williams, R. [Rita]. (2024, December 11). Gun Violence, Data, and the Failure of “Tough on Crime” Policies in Michigan. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2024/12/11/gun-violence-data-mass-incarceration-michigan/
