Exploring the nuances of shoplifting statistics with Adam Gelb, President of Council on Criminal Justice. Delving into the role of prisons and parole with Ben Austen and Johnny Veal. Discussing challenges in criminal justice and re-entry after incarceration.
Shoplifting statistics may not accurately reflect the true extent of the crime due to underreporting and varying enforcement approaches among retailers.
The parole system struggles to balance assessing readiness for release based on past crimes with recognizing personal growth and development during incarceration, impacting rehabilitation efforts.
Deep dives
Shoplifting Trends During the Pandemic
Shoplifting incidents reported a significant drop during the early pandemic stages due to store closures, rebounding more recently. The pandemic altered crime factors like motive, means, and opportunity, affecting the crime landscape. The statistics on shoplifting often do not reflect the true extent due to underreporting and varying enforcement approaches among different retailers.
Organized Retail Theft Statistics Controversy
Controversy arose around the reported $45 billion estimate for organized retail theft, later acknowledged as inaccurate. The misinterpretation led to legislative actions and perceptions about the prevalence of such crimes in society. The impact of this misinformation on policy and resource allocation remains a topic of debate.
Parole Process for Incarcerated Individuals
The parole process reveals challenges in assessing individuals' readiness for release based on past crimes versus post-incarceration developments. Factors like the nature of the crime and personal growth during incarceration often influence parole decisions. The story of incarcerated individuals like Khalif highlights the complex dynamics at play in the parole system.
Rehabilitation and Recidivism Concerns
Efforts at rehabilitation and reducing recidivism face obstacles in parole decisions influenced by the nature of the original crime. The system's focus on past offenses can overshadow improvements and growth shown during incarceration, impacting parole outcomes. The disconnect between the intended rehabilitation goals and parole board assessments remains a significant issue in the criminal justice system.
If you believe the news, shoplifting is many things: “on the rise,” “a scourge,” and “way up.” The thing is … is it really? In truth, it’s very hard to know, because the variables are myriad. We discuss this conundrum with Adam Gelb, President and CEO of Council on Criminal Justice, a non-partisan think tank, and a pretty darn knowledgeable person on the topic. Then we pivot to tackle the role prison and parole play in our criminal justice system. We talk with Ben Austen, author of Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change. Ben is joined by Johnny “Khalif” Veal, who was convicted of murder in 1970 and paroled in 2021, a man who says prison changed him in all types of ways.