Crime Decreasing Issue
Society has other alternatives to decreasing crime than simply locking
people in
prison. Preventative programs focus on the community, school,
family, employment
and places. In addition, there are rehabilitation and
restorative justice
programs that can also be used to decrease crime. Prisons
are the only
alternatives we hear about from politicians because of the
notion that prisons
are "tough on crime." In reality, the method that reduces
crime the
most is the "toughest on crime,"--and many research
studies
demonstrate prisons are not the best alternatives. Over 65% of the
people
convicted for 3-Strikes are for drug-related offenses. There is great
evidence
that putting many 3-Strikers in rehabilitation programs costs much
less to
society overall than simply putting them in prison for 25 years or
more. In
addition, there are preventative programs that can be used rather
than the
prison cell. Each $1 we spend on prisons is a $1 that we could spend
elsewhere
(or not be taxed in the first place). The problem with only
addressing crime by
locking people in prison is that it has done nothing to
alleviate the roots of
the problems that cause crime in our society. Other
people are born and grow up
in the same areas where the previous offenders
lived and will probably commit
the same acts because the underlying problems
still exist. There is much
evidence that the gap between the wealthy and the
poor is growing in the United
States. Unfortunately, the U.S.'s response
to the problem has been: "The
rich get richer, and the poor get prison." To
focus on street crime and
drug-related crimes can be considered a hidden way
to set up concentration camps
for the poor and minorities. There is much
evidence that white-collar corporate
criminals cause much more economic
wealth to be illegally distributed and can
result in many more deaths and
injuries than street crime (e.g., violating
safety standards in employment,
emission of environmental hazards). Does society
spend as much to enforce the
laws on them? Are they sent to prison for the same
sentences as the poor
street criminals? Are wealthy users of drugs ending up in
our prisons? The
"control" and "punishment" models adopted
by the U.S. may cause other
problems. Social rebellion and deviance among the
young may increase. And, in
an opposite manner, some of our youth may embrace
"control" and "punishment"
as the answers to all our
problems. A growing devision among these two groups
could cause extreme problems
in the future.