In this module, we read about the current crime and policy landscape nationally, in particular, recent crime trends and the growth in all parts of the criminal justice system. The chapter by Mears emphasizes that there is little research to support current policies and, just as importantly, that little is known about the implementation and effects of many of them.
In this week’s discussion, reflect a bit on the assigned reading, and then address this key question: What are the risks of adopting unnecessary, ineffective, or inefficient criminal justice policies? How would you characterize those risks at the national and the local level?
