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In real time, right now, lawmakers round the country are making the same gut reaction mistakes that created mass incarceration. A collection of illogical policies that makes us less safe, exacerbates the very societal ills it aims to solve, & costs a fortune all w/ zero benefit.
Long ago Hamilton warned of these retributive impulses. “The criminal code of every country partakes so much of necessary severity that w/o easy access to exceptions in favor of unfortunate guilt, justice would wear a countenance too sanguinary & cruel.” We still haven’t learned. 
Literally just finished “Prisoners of Politics.” Ends w/ caution: It’s possible “significant portion of public may simply want to inflict pain on people who commit crimes.” But there’s an achievable “win-win to be had in justice policy-making if we can loosen the populist grip.”
Mass incarceration is not inevitable. But it will be if lawmakers keep making the same misguided decisions that created it. Stop criminalizing health. Stop passing mandatory minimums & overbroad laws. Start investing in health & communities. Start individualizing justice. Think!
Will be posting more lessons learned (and/or reinforced) from @RachelBarkow’s new book in coming days/weeks. Invaluable resource for the movement.
