[pstuart]

Prison is expensive and has downstream costs as well--it should be a last resort. There's definitely times where it absolutely is the right thing but it should not be default mode.

Note that these crimes are almost always done by drug addicts. We have the War on Drugs that was supposed to make this never happen and yet it's a fucking epidemic. So how's that war working for you, eh?

It's cheaper to get these people off drugs and redirected to being "good citizens" again, or even just give them their drugs in a controlled medical setting (like is done with methadone).