Description

Practitioners of crime control and criminal justice are more aware of the economic costs than ever before. Specifically, any tactic to control crime comes at a cost. The objective of crime policy is to gain the greatest benefit with the least cost. Often, a cost-benefit evaluation is calculated before new polices, tactics, or procedures are considered. The consequence of this approach is difficult to quantify. Yet focusing on cost alone could create a situation in which there is rejection of a policy with greater crime deterring value in favor of a more cost-conscious policy that actually offers less deterring value. Conversely, there are examples where money has been supplied freely, such as the war on drugs; however, the value of this approach is debatable. Looking toward the future, it is apparent that contemporary crime policy is a balance of social need, political influence, and economics. The result of the mix is crime policy and its influence on our society as a whole.
Task Description: Evaluate the levels of influence that society, economics, and politics have on contemporary crime policy. Develop a plan describing your vision of crime policy ten years from now. Be sure to include reasons for your visions, and defend against opponents to your plan.