Woozle/2020/11/19/2

posted on Nextdoor

Policing

(I originally posted this in a reply to a comment in another thread about needing more police; at least 2 people have suggested I break it out into its own thread -- so I'm doing that, with some light editing.)

The evidence I'm aware of points pretty strongly towards the idea that having more police does *not* solve crime; it just populates jails faster, draining our public resources (housing one prisoner costs far more than providing a good set of public services and aid to one person), while ruining lives and families.

What works far better towards reducing crime is less economic disparity and more social services -- to help people *before* they get to the point of committing crimes, whether they do so to get money on which to live or because of untreated mental health issues.