Overcriminalization significantly undermines human flourishing and social well-being by harming the family, social networks, and social citizenship. Additionally, it prevents capable men and women from utilizing their creative capacities in the marketplace. This creates vast issues involving relations with family while incarcerated and reintegration into society after release. On the economic side, draconian cash bail systems undermine justice through basing someone's ability to attain pre-trial release upon their wealth, not their actual threat to society.
"The fact that 97% of people resolve their cases through plea deals—without benefit of jury trial and the presumption of innocence—does not shock the conscience because there is a sense that if you are involved in the system you must have done something wrong."
Pretrial Justice Institute
July 24, 2018
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