In Thursday’s episode of “The Michael Knowles Show,” the host explains why the criminal justice reform bill known as the First Step Act is really a step in the wrong direction.
“One of the many Republicans campaigning against the First Step act is Tom Cotton. Excellent congressman,” said Knowles. “Tom Cotton has now apparently … been lobbying various law enforcement groups to drop their support for the measure. Apparently, it was his campaigning that was responsible for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association from dropping their endorsement of it. And what Tom Cotton says, he goes out pretty boldly, and I 100% agree with him on this; the problem in America is not over-incarceration.”
He continued, “You hear this from the Left, you hear this from libertarians, you hear it from conservatives. They say, ‘Oh we over incarcerate. There are too many inmates in our prisons.’ No, the problem in America is under-incarceration.”
“We don’t catch enough of our criminals,” he explained. “Law enforcement in this country identify 19% of the perpetrators of property crime. 81% of people who perpetrate property crime just walk free. They are never even identified. This is maybe lucky for them, very merciful to the criminals, but for the people who have their property destroyed or stolen, it’s not merciful at all. They’re being wronged, and that’s injustice.”
Knowles concluded, “How about violent crime? Law enforcement only identifies 40% of violent criminals in America. So fewer than 50% of violent criminals get identified or are even brought up for justice in the first place. 53% get away. That is way, way too much.”
Video and transcript below:
One of the many Republicans campaigning against the First Step act is Tom Cotton. Excellent congressman. Tom Cotton has now apparently, this is all just now being reported by various sources, has been lobbying various law enforcement groups to drop their support for the measure. Apparently, it was his campaigning that was responsible for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association from dropping their endorsement of it.
And what Tom Cotton says, he goes out pretty boldly, and I 100% agree with him on this; the problem in America is not over incarceration.
You hear this from the left, you hear this from Libertarians, you hear it from Conservatives. They say Oh we over incarcerate. There are too many inmates in our prisons.
No, the problem in America is under incarceration. We don’t catch enough of our criminals. Law enforcement in this country identify 19% of the perpetrators of property crime. 81% of people who perpetrate property crime just walk free. They are never even identified. This is maybe lucky for them, very merciful to the criminals, but for the people who have their property destroyed or stolen, it’s not merciful at all. They’re being wronged and that’s injustice.
How about violent crime? Law enforcement only identifies 40% of violent criminals in America. So fewer than 50% of violent criminals get identified or are even brought up for justice in the first place. 53% get away. That is way, way too much.