For many Americans, police issues have become their proxies for political and cultural fights. Whether people identify with the Back the Blue movement or Defund the Police movement, when they approach criminal justice reform and crime reduction through their “identity screens,” they are doing more harm than good.
On this episode of the Civil Squared Podcast, Greg Newburn, director of criminal justice at the Niskanen Center, discusses the troubling trend of people refusing to recognize that there is a problem simply because they are afraid that the solutions to that problem will offend their ideological and political positions. Among other things, he suggests that if we are to address needed polices reforms forward and the recent hyperlocal spike in homicides, everyone will have to acknowledge and embrace some uncomfortable truths.
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Show Notes:
Fixing the police and reducing homicide: Yes, Congress can do both – The Hill
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
You can follow Greg and his work on twitter.
About our guest:
Greg Newburn is director of criminal justice at the Niskanen Center. His previous positions include state policy director and Florida director for FAMM; chair of the Florida-based “Yes on 11” political committee; and director of student programs at the Cato Institute. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the University of Florida Levin College of Law. His work focuses on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems with the goal of reducing crime and punishment.