Changing the Priorities of a 'Prison-Happy Country'

Brennan Center for Justice - We've done many good things over the last 20 years to reduce violent crime. More communities across our country now employ strategic approaches to improve safety, ranging from community policing to the current Smart on Crime initiative. We should congratulate ourselves for these achievements.

But we have made mistakes. One big one is promising states money to build prisons if they agreed to lengthen prison sentences.  Read more.