Prison is an important and necessary component of the criminal justice system. It is, in many cases, necessary to incarcerate offenders who pose a danger to society even with strict and modern monitoring. That being said, the state should supervise offenders outside the prison walls if the interests of public safety and liberty are best served by forgoing incarceration. When implemented effectively, probation keeps neighborhoods safer, saves money, and produces more successful outcomes for nondangerous offenders. When taking into account risk level, recidivism rates for individuals who are sentenced to community supervision (also known as probation) are lower than for those who are incarcerated.
The Rise of the ‘Alt-Lib’
The “toxic” and “unsettling” behavior of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner was revealed last week in The New York Times. Following months of speculation, the report details multiple women who accuse the local oysterman of leaving a trail of alleged violence and mental abuse. Platner, who has remained under public scrutiny for sporting a (supposedly...