Jobs, not jails

I was unemployed for a while and it sucked. While that was happening I wrote a little thing about my experiences and it was really fun. To read it, google "The Economy is a Piece of Shit," I'm the first hit. In general when shit sucks, just write about it and share it with the world. It makes things slightly better.

Here is something else I'm writing about in the hopes that it gets better:

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. MEANING: We put more of our citizens in jail and prison than anywhere else. There are 2.3 million people in the United States in prison or jail right now.

That number is so high I can't fathom it. Instead I see the impact of this number everyday at work. As a forensic social worker, I see young kids, brains not fully developed, who have been abused, neglected, and rejected from their families, schools, social service agencies, and society. Some of them have made bad choices in life, but often there are not many good options.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that jail and prison, as they are currently envisioned, are not good ways to prevent future crimes. I haven't got the answer for what comes next, but I can tell you that the system we currently have is broken, obscene, and horrific. I kindly ask you to learn more about this issue and tell a friend.

A resource to get you started: TED Talk by Bryan Stevenson: We need to talk about an injustice

Have a wonderful day!


Sarah Muenzinger
Brooklyn, NY

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