Many issues that are primary drivers of mass incarceration cannot be remedied through government solutions alone. Issues such as broken families and mental health, both forever altered by over criminalization, cannot be simply be repaired through legislation. Civil Society has the unique capability to address certain social issues that government cannot, or to address them more effectively than government can. This section also addresses issues in which over-policing attempts to fix issues that should be handled through the community.
"In a city whose citizens and police department have a contentious relationship, the militarized rhetoric of a “surge” designed to “disrupt” and “dismantle” will just trap the department in a loop of badly ineffective, biased policing."
The Appeal
June 29, 2018
Read More"The number of arrests is dramatically disproportionate to Portland's homeless population. People experiencing homelessness represent a tiny fraction of the city's overall population -- well below 3 percent even using the biggest estimates. Yet in 2017, they accounted for 52 percent of arrests."
The Oregonian
June 28, 2018
Read More"Over the years, the number of state and federal rules which carry criminal penalties has exploded. At the federal level alone, there are already more than 300,000 laws and regulations whose violation can lead to prison time. But the list of criminal laws and regulations by which we are bound is much bigger than that. And it’s growing."
Manhattan Institute
January 10, 2018
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