“Tough on Crime” policies are not based on evidence or data. They are also the primary cause of mass incarceration.
Rather than making rational decisions with data, it feeds into what I refer to as “Lizard Brain,” preying on fear rather than reason.
The Data Speaks for Itself
- Prisons and jails do not work.
- Longer prison sentences do not work.
- Mass Incarceration creates generational poverty and trauma.
In short, throwing people away for an inherently false sense of public safety, is a purely political move; not one based on evidence or science.
So how do we get elected leaders to listen?
Thankfully, Vera Action, an arm of the Vera Institute, has some advice. Check it out here.
