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236 points paulpauper | 1 comments | 25 Jun 25 17:14 UTC | HN request time: 0.206s | source

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philipallstar ◴[26 Jun 25 11:11 UTC] No.44386200[source]▶

Incarceration isn't the same thing as crime. If the most populous state by far (California, almost 40m people in 2025) passes a law[0] that stealing things under $950 is a misdemeanor rather than a felony, then crime can continue while incarceration rates drop.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_California_Proposition_47

replies(2): >>44386246 #>>44387764 #

1. pyuser583 ◴[26 Jun 25 11:18 UTC] No.44386246[source]▶

>>44386200 #

It’s very hard to record crime rates in prisons.

Incarcerating people likely to commit crimes will mean their future crimes are much less likely to be reported.

This does not mean less crime, it means crime just isn’t being recorded.

Even the most rigorous studies account for crimes committed in prisons.

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America’s incarceration rate is in decline