Finally, a few are starting to realize the the darkness of prior policies. The dark ages are still among us, in some ways. So to continue Pinker's quest, and to solve two enormous headaches, embracing reform and education as keys to success will bring the "Better Angels Of Our Nature" to the masses.
Dick Nixon coined the "War On Drugs" in the 1970s, and ever since, America has been embroiled in an attack on addiction and the criminal aspects of it.
The so-called war on drugs has directly led to the United States' massive jail population. But not only the crackdown on drugs is at fault. Ideology in America's approach to policing and judging certain "criminals" is bankrupting the system. Police advocates say they "need" unrestricted access to question anybody. Courts have disagreed, ruling "stop and frisk" tactics as unconstitutional.
Homeless advocates have long said that money spent on mental health is potentially more successful than the current status quo of criminalizing homelessness and literally entering them into a system of fines and jail, resulting in high cost to taxpayers.
The war on drugs, now being discussed at the federal level of United States government as a money pit, deserves review. The government's Attorney General, Eric Holder, has been quoted as being concerned with disparities in arrest, in regard to race. And Holder has expressed distaste for the money spent on "minorish" crime, saying, "Harsh mandatory minimums are the U.S. Attorneys Office discretion, and they aren't using it." The money spent on prisons, jails, prosecutions, and the like, are helping to bankrupt the American bankroll. A bankroll that is already in shambles.
"The public's confidence in police has been fading," a website for police ideology, Lines Of Defense states. To restore that confidence, if possible, is to legislate. Less minimum sentences, more "community service" and laws that demand respect for citizens' rights. Laws that protect children's rights, including a review of police access and of "no-parole" sentences, can accompany funding that rehabilitates the underage "criminal" and helps to facilitate community health, by helping to build a citizen that is a community resource. Conveying these desires, is up to you. Contact your legislature, your local politicians, and advocates such as the ACLU.
In positions of power, judges have "judiciary discretion," as prosecutors have the same. Police have the power to make educated arrests, not biased ones. And these are public employees. Getting active in producing change, will lead to change. Solicit your friends, your brother, your neighbor, and your doctor.
As Steven Pinker has told us, "rights movements are led by educated people." What this means, if America wants to solve two huge problems, is to educate our youth. Raising kids to believe in equality for all, and to exercise that equality, are the keys to the future. Creating equal playing fields, first by our lawmakers, and then by government, will help reduce wasteful spending on mass incarceration, and will interject more money into the government's education budget.
When the government's monopoly on arbitrary tactics for its own biased purposes is questioned, lawmakers are forced to respond. Which is why voting is so important, as an unsatisfied petitioner can vote to change lawmakers. Educating America means an educated voter base of more than 20% of the registered voters(turnout average). Funding for education in my home state, "progressive" Oregon, has declined for a decade, every consecutive year. And because of this, a look at reform is needed. Restoring a better understanding of the value of education, and funding the education sector, will lead to a human rights future, one where taxpayers are not burdened by overpaid politicians and under funded courts and poorly compensated educators.
It starts with the war on drugs, as that program's death will immediately save money for the government. Changing the laws regarding incarceration can lead to less money wasted on prisons and jails, and more money spent on educating troubled youth and helping uneducated petty criminal adults.
Solve these two problems and you solve a huge money problem. Two keys for one stubborn door, as the deficit has been paid off only once. Not all of the money problem, but a large portion of it. And when our politicians have fixed those things, then we can move on to more important issues like healthcare for our sick, especially our elderly. We can work on jobs and technology. Whatever you like.
Two points, education and reform, are the building blocks for the two keys to solving America's massive money pit. The War On Drugs and America's Mass Incarceration are the keys. Unlock the people's money...
America and her white picket fence.
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