Citizen Power, by Mike Gravel: on Crime

More jails don't cut crime--must address poverty instead

Russell G. Oswald, Commission of Corrections of NY State, pinpointed the problem: "Society has done damn little in ending poverty illiteracy that provide the seeds of unrest and problems that lead people to prisons."

The lesson is clear. More police, more jails, more tough talk will not help. None of these traditionally instinctive reactions to crime can stem the rising tide. So long as injustice and inequity in larger society exist on the gross scale that they do today, all the reasoning and rhetoric and police clubs in the world will not stop the have-nots from going after the goods they seek through the only avenue they feel is open to them--crime. So long as we delay the basic reforms, that long will our cities continue to half-exist, in fear, behind locked doors.

Source: Citizen Power, by Sen. Mike Gravel, p.196-197 Jan 1, 1972

Stop punishment for victimless crimes: drugs, sex & gambling

Because so much crime is the product of people who were in prison, an obvious means of reducing crime is to drastically reduce our prison population. That can be done, at no danger to society, almost overnight. How? By eliminating a whole host of common social activities from the law's list of "crimes."

Common activities for which we now punish people--so-called "victimless-crimes" because they affect no one but the participant--include drinking, prostitution, gambling, homosexuality, & use of certain drugs. What is the point of jailing people for these practices? What more towering hypocrisy, what more potent breeder of total disrespect for the law can there be than these "crimes," which are practiced by millions of citizens, but for which only a few are singled out for punishment?

Victimless crimes are a peril to our health only in so far as they are classified as crimes. Some 51% of criminal arrests in 1970 were for victimless crimes. We could very nearly empty our jails by abolishing them.

Source: Citizen Power, by Sen. Mike Gravel, p.214-215 Jan 1, 1972

The above quotations are from Citizen Power A People's Platform, by Mike Gravel (published 1972). Click here for definitions & background information on Crime. Click here for more quotes by Mike Gravel on Crime.
*2008 Presidential contenders on Crime:*
*Republicans:* Chmn.John Cox Mayor Rudy Giuliani Gov.Mike Huckabee Rep.Duncan Hunter Sen.John McCain Rep.Ron Paul Gov.Mitt Romney Sen.Fred Thompson	*Democrats:* Sen.Hillary Clinton Sen.John Edwards Sen.Mike Gravel Rep.Dennis Kucinich Sen.Barack Obama	*Third Parties:* Green: Rep.Cynthia McKinney Socialist: Brian Moore Independent: Mayor Mike Bloomberg
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