But what #COVID19 uncovered is: our country’s obsession with locking people up in jails and prisons as a first response to everything is NOT a solution--it actually endangers us all.
THREAD
But for this thread, let's talk about the safe reduction of incarceration as an overdue imperative, and the necessary response to protect from #COVID19.
Why?
Prisons are also overly crowded, making them spreaders of illness, and they have limited medical care.
How can you safely reduce incarceration?
How would it impact communities?
You could prioritize the release of several groups of people who pose little risk to public safety and whose continued incarceration undermines the health of communities:
The research shows that longer sentences do not reduce recidivism, compared to shorter sentences, and may actually increase it.
We can -- and MUST -- safely reduce incarceration.