NCJ Number
170842
Date Published
1996
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This paper critiques 10 of the most common statements about crime and punishment, statements that are often the basis for laws and governmental policy.
Abstract
One statement is that "Prison population increases in recent years have led to the drop in crime." Studies do not show a direct correlation between the rate of imprisonment and the rate of crime. Since many factors determine crime rates, no direct connection between incarceration rates and crime rates can be drawn. A second commonly heard statement is that "Locking up more offenders saves money by reducing crime." Recent studies have not only questioned the validity of this statement, but the statement does not consider that investments in community corrections and prevention programs may be more cost-effective than incarceration. A third statement often heard is that "Six percent of the criminals commit 70 percent of the crimes." This statement implies that if habitual criminals are identified and incarcerated, crime will be significantly reduced. There is no evidence, however, that there is a fixed percentage of habitual criminals over time; and even if these offenders could be identified at a given point in time and removed from the streets, there would always be new offenders to take their place. Other statements challenged are that "Offenders under supervision in the community on probation or parole are responsible for most violent crime"; "Most offenders are incarcerated for a violent offense"; "Higher rates of African American incarceration are due to their increasing crime rates;" "There is a coming generation of superpredators that will initiate a crime wave unlike any we've seen before"; "Prisons today are country clubs and are too soft on offenders"; "Juveniles who commit violent crimes should be tried as adults"; and "Mandatory sentencing and three strikes laws send a message to potential offenders." 31 notes