Avoid criminal activity for a chance to earn $9,000?I'm not sure how that would help potential victims directly-- they're going to pay people not to be victims?
It’s a choice that some Washington residents may be able to make if lawmakers approve new legislation aimed at changing the city’s approach to crime prevention.
Under the proposal, modeled on a similar effort in Richmond, Calif., a new office would be created to identify individuals “who pose a high risk of participating in, or being a victim of, violent criminal activity.”
The legislation seeks funding to cover stipends for about 50 individuals a year, who would be paid to follow a program “involving life planning, trauma informed therapy, and mentorship.”
On the one hand, if the program worked, it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than locking people up. It might encourage some of the bad guys to stop being criminals.
On the other hand, the idea that government's going to pay criminals not to commit crimes doesn't sit very well. And since the District of Columbia's government is overseen, to some degree, by Congress, I expect that this program's going to die an early death (unless they can do it 100% with outside funding).
No problem. Trump will make Mexico pay for it.
ReplyDeleteI've seen some details on this type of program, and it actually has a remarkably high success rate. And let's face it, it's cheaper than jail.
ReplyDeleteWhen the government bailed out the fraudsters and thieves on Wall Street, they didn't think to extract a promise not to commit any more crimes. So really, they've gotten tougher.
ReplyDeleteNow that I think of it, it would have been awesome to make Jamie Dimon take a road trip in a '91 Civic with a single mother and her two children while she tries to find a job.