Read on Twitter
Read this graph closely. Most of you know incarceration is out of control. But I bet you didn't know that incarceration for convicted people has actually gone down. The growth is for people that haven't even been convicted. https://twitter.com/Appolition/status/1199008641195663366
I have an evolving understanding of the difference between the prison abolition movement and the prison reform movement, partly thanks to @appolition's social media manager who was at an abolition event with me yesterday.
At first I thought abolition was an Overton window thing, where you say abolition to make reduction of incarceration seem more normal.
But now I'm hearing it close to literally. It's a journey.
But now I'm hearing it close to literally. It's a journey.
Abolition seems to be short hand. "Find ways to abolish each part of the penal system."
Not all parts are figured out. But many parts are obvious.
So it's abolish cash bail, not reform cash bail. Same non-violent drug offenders. Just abolish.
Not all parts are figured out. But many parts are obvious.
So it's abolish cash bail, not reform cash bail. Same non-violent drug offenders. Just abolish.
NYC hired 500 cops to arrest subway fare jumpers. Total cost of cops + incarceration is way higher than lost fares.
Obv, we don't need those cops. But... do we even need the turnstyles? I was in Berlin and their trains run on the honor system.
Obv, we don't need those cops. But... do we even need the turnstyles? I was in Berlin and their trains run on the honor system.
Abolition leads much deeper, into restorative justice where making amends is more important than being punished, and I'd say, more radically into a critique of capitalism. How do you address that news stories about scary criminals make for good business for media companies?
But I think most people who dug into abolition could get at least to the point of abolishing giant parts of the prison system. You don't have to go all the way to ending capitalism (on day one).
