Media Coverage of Crime and Criminal Justice

From Truthout.com:

"The criminal justice system spends billions of dollars and significant resources prosecuting and imprisoning people in the War on Drugs. With less than half of all violent crimes being solved, isn't it time to rethink our priorities?"

Priorities.

This is what I always talk to my students about.

I propose ideas to reduce or prevent crime. They always ask, "How do we pay for it."

I say, "We already have the money now. It's just that we are spending it on something else."

So it's about priorities.

As in, what's really important?

This short video from upworthy.com illustrates what is wrong with our priorities in criminal justice.

Watch it and try to understand how the war on drugs interferes with our ability to solve other problems. We think spending money arresting drug dealers is more of a priority than solving violent crimes.

It's all about priorities.