When Brute Force Fails

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Oct. 28, 2009

Do you fight crime by leaving some gangs alone? That's one of the arguments put forth by Mark Kleiman, author of "When Brute Force Fails." In the book, the UCLA public policy professor argues that police forces get better results by focusing most energy on the most prolific criminal gangs, and punishing them swiftly, to motivate other potential criminals to stay inactive. Is this the solution?

Princeton University Press
When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment

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Guest:


Mark Kleiman, author of "When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment." He is a professor of public policy at the University of California in Los Angeles

Meghan Sahli-Wells
3 weeks, 2 days ago

How has the privatization of American prisons had an effect on justice?

Doc Merlin
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Finally! Someone says it!
I have been saying for years to friends and family that what was important was swiftness and certainty not severity. I'm glad now that a scholarly work backs up my intuition and reasoning.

Also, this brings up interesting things from a self defense perspective; if many more people fought back against being victimized there would be a lot less victimization.

Anyway, trackback, on this from my blog:
http://docmerlin.blogspot.com/2009/11/in-terms-of-crime-deterrent-from-state.html

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