Read on Twitter
A) Thread: In 1960s-80s the US closed oppressive mental hospitals but never followed through on promised community reinvestment. It was disastrous.
In @LAReviewofBooks I outline 3 lessons this history holds for defunding police and prisons. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/how-defunding-abusive-institutions-goes-wrong-and-how-we-can-do-it-right/
In @LAReviewofBooks I outline 3 lessons this history holds for defunding police and prisons. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/how-defunding-abusive-institutions-goes-wrong-and-how-we-can-do-it-right/
B) Lesson One: Defunding campaigns can easily be co-opted by austerity hawks.
In the 1970s Reagan and others closed expensive hospitals as part of a broader attack on state services.
Today, we must see defunding/closure alone as a false victory, and fight for reinvestment.
In the 1970s Reagan and others closed expensive hospitals as part of a broader attack on state services.
Today, we must see defunding/closure alone as a false victory, and fight for reinvestment.
C) Lesson Two: Release is simple but reintegration is hard.
Civil libertarians of the 70s were pollyanna about the real needs/difficulties of ppl who'd been locked up.
Today we must embrace the complex task of reintegrating and rehabilitating ppl, rather than downplaying it.
Civil libertarians of the 70s were pollyanna about the real needs/difficulties of ppl who'd been locked up.
Today we must embrace the complex task of reintegrating and rehabilitating ppl, rather than downplaying it.
D) Lesson Three: Failures may unfairly be attributed to reform rather than underfunding.
In the 80s ppl blamed psych homelessness/jailing on patients' rights, rather than the grossly inadequate community services.
Some say "bring back the asylum" is the only solution.
In the 80s ppl blamed psych homelessness/jailing on patients' rights, rather than the grossly inadequate community services.
Some say "bring back the asylum" is the only solution.
E) Today, if we reject police/prison, we must prepare for the inevitable difficulties with new systems.
In a pandemic-ravaged economy, we may see spikes in crimes of poverty/survival. We must have real policy answers for those who say penal enforcement is the only option.
In a pandemic-ravaged economy, we may see spikes in crimes of poverty/survival. We must have real policy answers for those who say penal enforcement is the only option.
