Keep two things in mind in assessing the consensus among Democratic gubernatorial candidates — and, apparently, former Governor Tommy Thompson — that Wisconsin incarcerates too many criminals.
- In 1990, there were 215,000 crimes reported in Wisconsin. Last year the total was 123,388.
- In 1990 Wisconsin prisons housed 7,332 inmates. At the start of this year the number was 23,200.
In other words, the expansion of Wisconsin’s inmate population coincides with a 43 percent reduction in crimes reported by the FBI. Research documents a causal link between reduced crime rates and the incarceration of serious, repeat offenders. The staggering cost of crime to victims is obviously much less, a factor almost never mentioned when discussing the higher costs of incarceration.
It is amazing how many crimes are committed by a few people. Very few people just commit one crime, but almost all crimes are committed by a very few people.
Wisconsin incarcerates too many criminals because Wisconsin has too many criminals. A bit of “three strikes” legislation wouldn’t be too outrageous as a workable method of separating the habitual misfits from the rest of the general population. If the misfits need more than two gimmies they’re probably career criminals anyway. If you need more prison space, build them in the areas where the criminals are most concentrated.
I prefer exporting three peat offenders to North Korea.
Odd that TGT would be in favor of this proposal, as he ran for re-election as a tough on crime guy, and championed several new prisons. Maybe he wised up.
k: Your proposal is both illegal and unconstitutional if those offenders are US citizens.
Nord,
If the US is half as bad as you libs claim, sending the criminals to the Marxist milk and honey North Korea should be considered liberation. What’s the problem? Are Marxists evil?
Pay no mind, Kevin. Gramps BTK does not understand sarcasm.
k:
I never said the US was bad, I did imply that the current occupant is a disgusting, immoral bully with a marginal IQ and a very limited vocabulary. So don’t make any claims on my behalf as it just makes you look even more foolish.
Nord,
Glad we agree Marxists are evil and cruel and unusual punishment to anyone caught in their schemes.
Huh, where did I say that? Are you making stuff up again? Isn’t that a sin in your religion? Or is lying in the name of hypocrisy OK with evangelicals?
So you don’t think Marxists are evil, cruel, and unusual punishment?
Liberal as charged.