Criminal Justice
. If we remove a dangerous armed robber from the street, we have a definite and apparent net positive effect . However, sentencing a low level street drug dealer to 10 years in prison, and he is replaced immediately by other dealers looking to profit from the drug market . A more profound and social concern is the effect incarceration has on family and the communities of those families . The consistent removal of persons from the community to prison and their return has a significant destabilizing effect that has led to the fraying of families, community bonds, and contributes to recidivism and future criminal behavior . As the use of extended incarceration (lock them up and throw away the key) continues, we will also continue to see the decline in communities, families, and the individual as well . As a country it is time we have a responsible public debate about the effects of continued incarceration . If this were a stock we would have sold and cashed out long ago, we are not receiving the return on our investment, and in fact we are losing our investment . In terms of prevention, a wide range of national programs aimed at school completion and addressing the needs of at-risk- youth found similar returns of our tax dollars . Increasing incarceration while ignoring these other programs will impose a heavy burden on courts, corrections, and more importantly communities .