3 ms·
>Are we optimizing for the law-abiding or the law-breaking? The entire paradigm shift for retribution -> rehabilitation is that the law-abider and the law-brea
by hammock 4y ago
>Are we optimizing for the law-abiding or the law-breaking?
The entire paradigm shift for retribution -> rehabilitation is that the law-abider and the law-breaker are (or can be) the SAME people. The distinction you are making falls away.
We are all born of the same nature, capable of doing evil. Does that make us all evil people? Separate the sin from the sinner, and create space for repentance
- sokoloff 4y agoI’m not interested in retribution, but I am highly interested in reducing future crimes against members of society. If rehabilitation fosters that more effectively than exclusion after an episode of law-breaking, I’m interested. Data that I’ve seen so far does not suggest that, but showing “released prisoners have a lower or equal rate of subsequent law-breaking than the average member of society” would be extremely compelling.
- hammock 4y agoCrime happens inside of prison just as is happens outside of prison. If you affirm the innate and equal dignity of every human life (assuming here), why optimize for law-abiding outside a prison to the detriment of law-abiding inside prison?
- sokoloff 4y agoI support enforcing laws both inside and outside prison, but would not be at all surprised to find the base rate of law-breaking inside a prison was higher, giving that the reason prison exists is to segregate proven past committers-of-crime away from free society under a premise that they are likely to do so again. We should work to reduce that in-prison crime, but not at the crime-risk expense of the never-convicted. Perhaps stricter law enforcement inside prisons is needed if you’re saying that the reforming-to-ongoing-law-abiding within are being victimized by on-going criminal activity.