Tuesday, September 29, 2015

David Brooks, "The Prison Problem": Breaking Out Is Hard to Do



David Brooks begins his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "The Prison Problem," by observing, "Pretty much everybody from Barack Obama to Carly Fiorina seems to agree that far too many Americans are stuck behind bars." Brooks's conclusion:

"But the fundamental situation won’t be altered without a comprehensive surge, unless we flood the zone with economic, familial, psychological and social repair."

Economic repair? Some 46 million Americans are receiving food stamps today, compared with some 17 million in 2000.

Familial repair? Single parent households have more than tripled in the US since 1960.

Psychological and social repair? One in five Americans takes a psychiatric medicine.

By all means, let's "flood the zone," but remember, David, breaking out is hard to do.

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