Who benefits from crime?

To find the cause of any problem (at the macro level), look at who benefits.

So, who benefits from crime?

-for profit prison companies
-companies who use prisoners for cheap labor (looking at you big Agra)
-for profit companies who use former prisoners for cheap labor (looking at you McDonalds and Walmart and Amazon)
-Republicans and others who support policies that support these benefactors and receive funding.
-white supremacists who benefit from having an unequal distribution of punishment (looking at you punishment for crack vs cocaine)

Who loses?
-victims of crime (duh)
-police who risk their physical safety defending the rest of us
-teachers who have to teach kids from broken homes and parents who work multiple jobs because they are exploited by the companies above
-kids who are raised in underserved communities and grow up thinking drugs are the only path
-taxpayers who foot the bill for punishment instead of prevention

What if we spent some of that money on things that prevent crime? Education, medical and mental health care, support for single working parents.

FYI. I consider the Clinton policies to be at fault for enabling a lot of this. But the question is focused on the future. We are where we are, how can we better move forward?

Message edited 1/16/2021 4:11:44 PM.

Re: Who benefits from crime?

I think money needs to be spent on various reforms. It's been shown time and time again that when money is spent to improve neighborhoods, everyone benefits.

Improve parks, infrastructure, have a division of the Police (or another department) walk the streets and get to know the people in the community.

When people care about their neighborhood, and feel invested in it, there is less crime.