We surround prisons with the fiercest of defenses, so that no one can escape. But wouldn’t it be great if we had a system that was actually designed to help people escape the circumstances of life and habits of mind that landed them in prison in the first place?
How would you change the justice system to make it more truly just?
I would turn the “pipeline to prison” expression around and focus all my energy, time and resources on implementing a “pipeline to college.”
I would focus on making our correctional system more “corrective” and less punitive. Create a correctional system that actually focuses on rehabilitating offenders and helping them become successful members of society–provide job training, therapy, and outlets for expression.