"Also: you can’t just legalize drugs (which I largely support) and end gang crime"
End of course not. But largely reduce yes.
Simply put, there is no other criminal activity that is even a fraction as profitable. Those profits are what allows gangs to grow so large, and fuels the violence as the fight over turf, not to mention pays off all the law enforcement.
"No way people used to breaking the law including violently for status and power and easy money are going to stop just because the illegal drug trade drys up."
I agree that it won't happen over night, but the drug money is the easy money, as that dries up, people will have to turn to something else. More importantly it's going to greatly reduce the influx of new recruits. Because the easy money is gone.
Hi Mathew, yes, all you suggest us reasonable and worth a try. I temperamentally tend toward caution re: transformative policy predictions, but have come around more recently on charters. They may sometimes be stultifying and seem to limit creativity, but for kids who badly need stability and rules along with support, I’ve come to think they’re necessary - or private schools that can achieve the same. As a liberal some of what I’ve gained a greater appreciation for are variables like leadership, culture, and simply a more honest appreciation of how incentives shape individual and group behavior.
"Also: you can’t just legalize drugs (which I largely support) and end gang crime"
End of course not. But largely reduce yes.
Simply put, there is no other criminal activity that is even a fraction as profitable. Those profits are what allows gangs to grow so large, and fuels the violence as the fight over turf, not to mention pays off all the law enforcement.
"No way people used to breaking the law including violently for status and power and easy money are going to stop just because the illegal drug trade drys up."
I agree that it won't happen over night, but the drug money is the easy money, as that dries up, people will have to turn to something else. More importantly it's going to greatly reduce the influx of new recruits. Because the easy money is gone.
Hi Mathew, yes, all you suggest us reasonable and worth a try. I temperamentally tend toward caution re: transformative policy predictions, but have come around more recently on charters. They may sometimes be stultifying and seem to limit creativity, but for kids who badly need stability and rules along with support, I’ve come to think they’re necessary - or private schools that can achieve the same. As a liberal some of what I’ve gained a greater appreciation for are variables like leadership, culture, and simply a more honest appreciation of how incentives shape individual and group behavior.