We seem to have forgotten that the prime directive of incarceration was -- and still should be -- to take the bad guys off the street, because if we can't (or won't), then we'll no longer have a civilized society. "Crime is caused by poverty, which is driven by endemic racism," they say, which is largely true, but our current catch-and-release policies do nothing to alleviate poverty and/or racism while taking us down the slippery slope to a truly broken society -- and f you think San Francisco can't become the Detroit of the West Coast, think again: it's happening right before our eyes. We certainly need more good and effective education and rehabilitation programs in prisons (of the sort San Quentin offers), but if we don't imprison criminals in the first place, they'll never have the opportunity to take advantage of those programs or turn their lives around. Sometimes people need a big time-out and wakeup call to break the negative cycle their past and make a fresh start, but letting them continue down the criminal path will not end well for them or the rest of society.
That said, stores will be hard pressed to effectively fight this new flash-mob tactic of mass thievery. A single armed guard won't deter a mob like that -- one hit of bear spray in the face and that guard will be out of action long enough for the looters to have their way. A store able to afford half a dozen armed guards might deter such an attack, but the mob will then move on to hit a more vulnerable establishment.
This all feels like the old "broken window theory" being played out right now, in real time.
We seem to have forgotten that the prime directive of incarceration was -- and still should be -- to take the bad guys off the street, because if we can't (or won't), then we'll no longer have a civilized society. "Crime is caused by poverty, which is driven by endemic racism," they say, which is largely true, but our current catch-and-release policies do nothing to alleviate poverty and/or racism while taking us down the slippery slope to a truly broken society -- and f you think San Francisco can't become the Detroit of the West Coast, think again: it's happening right before our eyes. We certainly need more good and effective education and rehabilitation programs in prisons (of the sort San Quentin offers), but if we don't imprison criminals in the first place, they'll never have the opportunity to take advantage of those programs or turn their lives around. Sometimes people need a big time-out and wakeup call to break the negative cycle their past and make a fresh start, but letting them continue down the criminal path will not end well for them or the rest of society.
That said, stores will be hard pressed to effectively fight this new flash-mob tactic of mass thievery. A single armed guard won't deter a mob like that -- one hit of bear spray in the face and that guard will be out of action long enough for the looters to have their way. A store able to afford half a dozen armed guards might deter such an attack, but the mob will then move on to hit a more vulnerable establishment.
This all feels like the old "broken window theory" being played out right now, in real time.
Agree 100%
So well thought-out and beautifully written 👍
Thanks Sherry. I learned it all in Mr. Garnett’s class. :)