Recently in a LinkedIn post, I wrote about the hazards of Mass Incarceration.
Something a colleague said made the proverbial lock tumblers in my head fall into place: incarcerating people in rural areas presents the illusion of the economy being better than it really is in those small towns.
Small Counties are often believed to be filled with salt of the Earth people, and usually they are. Sadly there are also poorly trained police officers, sheriffs’ departments without body cameras or other resources, and ego-driven prosecutors out to make a name for themselves, too. Any or all old these factors can drive up wrongful convictions. Consider Beatrice, Nebraska, Ada, Oklahoma, and Harris County, Texas.
In 2019, The Innocence Project tallied 143 wrongful convictions across the US; 9 taking place in Michigan. Even one is one too many.
But think about it: less people in the community means less job competition.
This is likely another reason why many rural prosecutors and judges fail to adopt rehabilitative services or embrace 21st Century practices. It’s paradoxical, however, as reform measures could create considerably more jobs in the community.
I would also argue that diversion programs may even create the need for additional judge seats. Even though I certainly do not think the solution to the problem is more judges, there are prosecutors who prosecute additional cases solely to expand court houses.
Of course I am not the first professional to have this epiphany. The Vera Institute explores the horrific reasons why small towns are hotbeds mass incarceration:
- Unmet needs and poverty
- Lack of Community Resources
- The Federal Government renting up jail beds
Read the report here.
