Why is it that often well-intentioned policies produce the opposite to what they set out to do? Asks David peter Stroh. Failed social policies often have similar features:
- They address symptoms not the underlying cause
- They appear obvious and often succeed in the short-term
- These short-term gains are undermined by long-term impact
- They produce negative consequences that are unintentional
Long prison sentences do not address the causes of crime which are to do with socioeconomics. When an offender goes to prison they are less of a threat in the short-run. But most re-enter society hardened by their experience and ill-prepared to be a productive member of the community. As a result, many re-engage in criminal activity and are re-imprisoned again within three years.
By investing in prisons, public funding is directed away socioeconomic reforms that could reduce crime permanently. In order to solve a problem you must first understand the problem and the system that creates the problem.