(March 23)
Being tough on criminals isn’t the only way to reduce crime.
Almost since its inception, the conservative Pelican Institute has pushed what it calls a “smart on crime” agenda, one which accepts tough punishment for more severe crimes but that stresses rehabilitation of lesser offenders as a way to cut recidivism. Pelican issued a new report March 17 that continues these worthy efforts.
Stopping recidivism, of course, is perhaps the single best way to make our communities safer. Studies too numerous to mention (each with slightly different statistics but extraordinarily consistent bottom lines) show that a very small percentage of criminals are, as repeat offenders, responsible for a large majority of all crimes. And the more offenses someone commits, the more likely his offenses will progress to violence.
The questions always are: How severe should sentences be for each type of crime in order to deter crime in the first place, versus how much wiggle room should be available to give incentives for redemption and for responsible behavior after release from prison? Put another way, how much stick is appropriate, compared to how many carrots?
Pelican’s answer always has been for government to spend more effort and money in rehabilitating minor offenders and less in incarcerating them. Studies have shown this approach saves taxpayers more money in the long run — as it did in Louisiana after earlier Pelican proposals were adopted — and plenty of experience shows that the right sorts of rehabilitative programs can indeed keep minor violators from re-offending.
Pelican’s new report builds on this knowledge to make four wise sets of recommendations. (I’ll focus on three.) The report was drafted by visiting scholar Jordan Richardson, who clerked for the notably conservative federal district judge Aileen Cannon of Florida, served as an adviser for the conservative Heritage Foundation and serves on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ judicial nominating commission.
First, Pelican recommends that Louisiana make greater use of specialized tribunals such as drug courts and re-entry courts for lesser offenders, the latter of which “provide intensive oversight and support during incarceration and through the transition back into the community, under close judicial supervision.” Whereas most other southern states feature such courts in the vast majority or even all of their judicial districts, only 48% of Louisiana judicial districts boast drug courts and just 19% use re-entry courts….. [The full column is at this link.]
