The fierce debate about crime requires a balance of effective policies – Orange County Register

Hit headlines, viral videos, and fear of lawlessness fueled the start of the incredible pendulum swing in California.

Elected officials from both political parties are calling for tougher action against crime, while just a year ago measures were passed to reduce law enforcement budgets and react.

The reality is that effective public safety is not the result of any policy or decision. While I love a great crime drama, we have to admit that such entertainment lacks complexity or context for reality. Effective policy is not as easy as the formula used on crime dramas: identify the perpetrator, catch the perpetrator, and end the resolution with a verdict.

With this mindset, we get stuck in an endless loop of programming. We know the story of actually building safer communities after the broadcast of TV show credits is much more than that. Typically, convicts will spend time under the supervision of probation, where we have the opportunity to influence their behavior while keeping the community safe.

From our experience, we know the best approach is an effective combination of accountability plus opportunity and recovery. Too many approaches will not provide long-term sustainable security. If anything, it will be a lesson to keep in mind as we reflect on where we go from here.

A balanced approach to the justice system won’t make the evening news or go viral, but it’s proven every time it’s used as the most effective way to reduce recidivism. and protect the community. Over the past 10 years, probation has changed the way we work with adults and juveniles. We focus on using what works by carefully combining handling with accountability to reduce the chances of seeing repeat performance.

For example, since SB 678 was passed in 2009, probation has dedicated resources to evidence-based surveillance along with treatment interventions focused on helping individuals leave the system. successful justice. This resulted in a reduction of more than 30% of those on supervision returning to prison after the second year of implementation and a reduction of more than 6,000 people in prison in the first year.

In addition to reducing recalls, it also reduced the state’s repair costs by more than $1 billion since implementation. However, this approach starts to fail when we don’t have enough time to roll out these services, the ability to hold those people accountable as they continue to pose a threat to our communities. or resources to focus on needed services and treatment. Every aspect of what must happen after arrests and convictions, however, is often overlooked in crime movies but most importantly in policymaking.

Our concern today is that the answer will be sought too far on either side of the pendulum. We should not abandon well-studied and effective policies, only to go back in time without considering how to change criminal behavior after conviction. However, we must learn from these placement decisions without support in order to make them successful.

https://www.ocregister.com/2022/01/12/tough-on-crime-debate-needs-balance-of-effective-policies/ The fierce debate about crime requires a balance of effective policies – Orange County Register

Huynh Nguyen

TheHitc is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – admin@thehitc.com. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.

Related Articles

Back to top button