With just two months to go until Election Day, crime and criminal justice have emerged as central issues in the campaign, with candidates on all sides of the political spectrum eager to demonstrate their tough-on-crime stances, especially in presidential elections.
Last month, former President Donald Trump I swore While vowing to “make America safe again” by strengthening police forces and implementing the death penalty, Vice President Kamala Harris speech This established her as a tough prosecutor who has made it her profession to hold “convicted criminals” accountable.
With campaign rhetoric dominating the news cycle, it's hard to tell which tactics will lead to real results. But it's clear people want action. A recent Gallup poll found: 79 percent 70% of Americans are worried about crime and violence The majority of Americans I believe our justice system is not rigorous enough.
nevertheless Violent crime rates have fallen To get back to pre-pandemic levels, lawmakers are under pressure to help make their constituents feel safe. San Francisco To Louisiana It is rolling back reforms and lengthening prison sentences.
Policymakers who are serious about public safety should consider evidence-based solutions rooted in decades of data and emphasizing economic stability, early intervention, and community engagement instead of ineffective policies. These options offer the best chance for long-term community safety.
Community violence intervention programs have proven to be successful models even in the current political climate. Philadelphia and Baltimore, in particular, have implemented comprehensive community violence intervention programs that improve public safety.
In Philadelphia, former Mayor Jim Kenney and his administration created the Mass Violence Intervention Program to connect individuals at risk of gun violence with jobs and city services. The evaluation is revealed The program, which launched in 2020, reduced shooting incidents among participants by about half.
Baltimore City experienced similar success when Mayor Brandon Scott made Community Violence Intervention a pillar of his broader violence reduction strategy.
The strategy was to identify individuals at high risk for violence and deploy community partners to connect them to community resources. Early research showed that this approach Decreasing murder cases Shootings in West Baltimore fell by 25 percent and carjackings fell by about a third. The city combined the strategy with other measures, such as a gun buyback program, to reduce the number of guns in the city. Proven To increase safety in the area.
To show its support for programs like those in Philadelphia and Baltimore, the Biden administration last year $5 billion investment In community violence intervention.
Although community violence intervention programs show promise, they are only a small part of the policies that can reduce crime. Research shows: Recruitment Program To Continued Access to Supplemental Security IYoung people over the age limit earn income from the program Basic Income and Stable housing Might be helpful.
Unfortunately, instead of turning to evidence-based reforms, many cities and states are reverting to policies that simply don't work. Increase the prison populationbut they Doesn't prevent crime: People serving long sentences are more likely to commit crimes More crime in the future.
Moreover, high incarceration rates and long sentences are costly and have a negative impact on the government and the families of those involved in the justice system. $182 billion per yearit is More than twice as much The amount the federal government spends on primary and secondary education.
Most of these policies range from increased surveillance to longer prison sentences and a focus on minor crimes. It weighs heavily on communities of colorPolice are more likely to stop, search, and arrest Black people, juries are more likely to convict people of color, and communities of color are more likely to face the poverty that creates conditions ripe for crime.
The survey found that Americans Smartermore effective Approaches to crime and criminal justiceTo reduce crime and increase public safety, turning to evidence-based solutions that emphasize early intervention and community engagement offers the best chance of success.
By addressing the root causes of crime, using evidence and engaging communities, we can create a safer, more secure environment for everyone.
Sarah Rosenwortel is Urban Research InstituteDavid Pitts is Urban Research Institute.
