Three takeaways from crime ballot measures around the country
NPRThree takeaways from crime ballot measures around the country toggle caption Rebecca Blackwell/AP Crime is a top issue for many Americans this election year, and voters in several states will have a say in how the criminal justice system functions in their state – from how harshly people are punished, to police funding, to what is even considered a crime. Fees in the criminal justice system are common, but linking police funding to court fees – as would be the case in Arizona and Missouri – could create a conflict of interest by incentivizing officers to arrest more people, says Dylan Hayre of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, a nonprofit that focuses on eliminating these fees. Sponsor Message Hayre says it’s noteworthy that one of these ballot items is in Missouri, where Michael Brown was killed by a police officer 10 years ago. These more progressive ballot items – loosening drug laws and reforming prison labor – are in part an attempt to reconcile with past policies seen by some as overly harsh, even as others are aimed at restoring harsher punishments, says Insha Rahman of the Vera Institute of Justice.
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