I was sent to prison for a non-violent drug offense, a first offense, and was incarcerated in a federal prison for thirteen months. Rather, we have spent a generation doubling down on harsh punishment for drug offenses and property crimes, the reason we put most women in prison or jail. When we think about inequality and harsh punishment, it’s important to note a longstanding fact: During the rise of mass incarceration, women have been the fastest-growing population in the criminal justice system. If you’re wondering whether you somehow missed a female crime wave, you indeed did not. Invest in education instead of incarceration: Voices

At the same time, youth crime has declined and is at a 30-year low. The American juvenile justice system is a prime example of recognizing this fact and doing things differently: Since 2003, the number of children held in juvenile prisons has declined by about half as more kids are held accountable in their communities rather than being exiled. Reform more than criminal justice to end opioid epidemic: ColumnĪnyone with a responsibility for helping people do their best - a parent, a teacher, a boss, a coach and, theoretically, the leading law enforcer of the United States - knows that always using the harshest possible punishment any time that someone does the wrong thing is a losing strategy. People don’t get better, and an authority figure quickly loses credibility for anything but cruelty. The memo from Sessions puts the federal criminal system at odds with what many states and municipalities have recognized and worked to change broad reliance on harsh punishment is profoundly counterproductive if what we want is public safety.

Orange is the new black author