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The Tyranny of Good Intentions

Corey Hayes

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Published in The Tyranny Of Good Intentions: How Prosecutors And Law Enforcement Are Trampling The Constitution In The Name Of Justice

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By Judge Brett Kavanaugh

The criminal justice system in the United States is broken. Mass incarceration is a national crisis, with over 2 million people behind bars. The vast majority of these prisoners are nonviolent drug offenders, and they are disproportionately black and brown. This is not only a moral outrage, but it is also a waste of taxpayer money and a drag on the economy.

The Tyranny of Good Intentions: How Prosecutors and Law Enforcement Are Trampling the Constitution in the Name of Justice

by Paul Craig Roberts

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	722 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	236 pages

The Tyranny of Good Intentions is a powerful and timely book that exposes the hidden costs of mass incarceration and offers a roadmap for reform. Drawing on years of experience as a prosecutor and judge, Judge Brett Kavanaugh argues that the criminal justice system is broken and that good intentions are not enough to fix it.

Kavanaugh shows how prosecutors and judges have played a key role in the rise of mass incarceration. He argues that prosecutors have been too quick to charge people with crimes, even when the evidence is weak. And he argues that judges have been too willing to impose harsh sentences, even for nonviolent crimes.

The result of this has been a system that is unfair and unjust. The vast majority of people in prison are not dangerous criminals. They are people who have made mistakes, but who deserve a second chance. Kavanaugh argues that we need to rethink our approach to criminal justice. We need to focus on rehabilitation, not punishment. And we need to give people a fair chance to succeed.

The Tyranny of Good Intentions is a must-read for anyone who is concerned about mass incarceration. It is a powerful and persuasive argument for reform, and it offers a roadmap for how we can create a more just and equitable criminal justice system.

Chapter 1: The Problem of Mass Incarceration
Chapter 2: The Role of Prosecutors in Mass Incarceration
Chapter 3: The Role of Judges in Mass Incarceration
Chapter 4: A Roadmap for Reform

Chapter 1: The Problem of Mass Incarceration

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. In 2018, there were over 2.3 million people behind bars in the United States. This is more than the total number of people in prison in China, Russia, and India combined.

The vast majority of people in prison are nonviolent drug offenders. In 2018, over 50% of federal prisoners were convicted of drug offenses. And in state prisons, over 40% of prisoners were convicted of drug offenses.

Mass incarceration is a national crisis. It is a waste of taxpayer money, and it is a drag on the economy. But most importantly, it is a moral outrage. The vast majority of people in prison are not dangerous criminals. They are people who have made mistakes, but who deserve a second chance.

Chapter 2: The Role of Prosecutors in Mass Incarceration

Prosecutors play a key role in the criminal justice system. They are responsible for deciding whether or not to charge someone with a crime. And they are responsible for negotiating plea deals and recommending sentences.

In recent decades, prosecutors have become increasingly aggressive in their pursuit of convictions. They are more likely to charge people with crimes, even when the evidence is weak. And they are more likely to recommend harsh sentences, even for nonviolent crimes.

This has led to a dramatic increase in the number of people in prison. In 1980, there were about 500,000 people in prison in the United States. Today, there are over 2.3 million people in prison.

Prosecutors need to be more selective about the cases they choose to prosecute. They need to focus on prosecuting serious crimes, and they need to be more willing to offer plea deals to nonviolent offenders.

Chapter 3: The Role of Judges in Mass Incarceration

Judges also play a key role in the criminal justice system. They are responsible for deciding whether or not to accept plea deals and for imposing sentences.

In recent decades, judges have become increasingly willing to impose harsh sentences, even for nonviolent crimes. This has led to a dramatic increase in the number of people in prison.

Judges need to be more mindful of the consequences of their sentencing decisions. They need to be more willing to impose alternative sentences, such as probation or community service, for nonviolent crimes.

Chapter 4: A Roadmap for Reform

The Tyranny of Good Intentions offers a roadmap for reforming the criminal justice system and ending mass incarceration. Kavanaugh argues that we need to: