Raise the Crime Rate

[bricolage]

A, in my opinion, must read article about 'falling' crime rates in the US, the prevalence of prison rape and some controversial suggestions for the prison abolition movement.

http://nplusonemag.com/raise-the-crime-rate

[Os Cangaceiros]

The sad unfortunate truth of the matter is that the situation vis-a-vis prisons in America will never change as long as the American public doesn't give a shit about what happens to "criminals". Which they clearly don't...there are many tasteless jokes about "dropping the soap" in prison, making jokes about prison rape is much more acceptable than making jokes about "normal rape". People would rather have low crime rates and not think about what happens in prison. So unfortunately I don't see much hope in anything changing in that respect.

The falling crime rate statistics really are disingenous, though, and not just because of crime in prison. Certain statistics have shown violent crime rates going down steadily over a time scale of centuries, with only a few isolated incidents (such as the popularity of crack) giving temporary spikes.

I also don't agree with the article's position on mandating state executions instead of incarceration. I agree with this, though, from the last paragraph:


Popular resentment against an authoritarian state shouldn’t be denied or pooh-poohed— it should be seized and marshaled toward progressive ends.

[bricolage]

People would rather have low crime rates and not think about what happens in prison.
Yeah I think the interesting bit about that article is that is highlights the growth of prison populations and what goes on within alongside a growth in pushing this into an area separated and hidden from society as a whole. On a geographical level when I was in New York I found Rikers Island really startling (likewise that the psychiatric hospitals are on another island) but obviously is goes much beyond that. While I agree with you on the articles position on executions (that was the bit I was referring to as controversial) I really echo what it says about having to suffer a short term decline in 'safety' and the like in whats seen as a normal society in order to alleviate the horrific affects of the prison system. The problem, as you note, is that to most people this is just beyond consideration at all.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Yeah prisons in the USA are often located in the middle of nowhere, ADX Florence (the prison depicted in the article) being another example:

http://a.abcnews.com//images/TheLaw/ht_prison_070801_mn.jpg

Pelican Bay (a famous prison in California) is another example of a geographically isolated prison, there are a ton of others. Then again San Quentin is located a spitting distance away from San Francisco, so it's not a universal rule by any means.

[blake 3:17]

I did the tourist trip to Alcatraz. It was fascinating.