Potential offenders, especially young ones, are more influenced by the immediate probability of capture than the distant threat of severe punishment. Investing in police investigations to solve more crimes quickly, such as through expanded DNA databases, has a greater deterrent effect than simply lengthening sentences.
Many defendants miss court dates not out of defiance, but because they forget or are misinformed. A New York City experiment showed that simple, nearly-free text message reminders about hearings and the consequences of missing them significantly reduced failures to appear, offering a cheap alternative to costly pretrial detention.
Instead of merely incapacitating individuals, the criminal justice system can use periods of supervision to deliver crucial care. A Kansas jail program showed a simple 'warm handoff' to a mental health clinic for released inmates reduced re-booking by 17%, demonstrating that incarceration is a key opportunity to put people on a better path.
An aggressive 'us vs. them' police culture alienates the community and can make crime worse. When officers act respectfully and build trust, residents are more likely to report crimes, share information about suspects, and call for help before disputes escalate. Improving police culture directly enhances public safety.
New laws and regulations often fail because an officer's actions are more heavily influenced by the informal norms and values absorbed from peers. This 'us vs. them' culture stresses aggression and loyalty over procedure, meaning true police reform must focus on changing the internal culture, not just adding rules from the outside.
Policies preventing employers from asking about criminal records early in the hiring process backfired. Unable to see an applicant's record, some employers resorted to guessing based on demographics, leading to increased discrimination against young Black men who had no criminal record. This highlights the need to 'fail fast' and test policies before wide implementation.