Gerson: A disease caused by its treatment? - Stockton Record
An element of the police — on the evidence, a relatively small element — became desensitized during its daily application of power. One result can be dehumanization, which may help explain Freddie Gray’s long, last trip. But some of the worst outcomes are not found in abuses of the system but rather in its design: a cycle of incarceration and return that reinforces criminality. The mass incarceration of juvenile offenders is iatrogenic. By one estimate, 66 percent of juveniles who are incarcerated never return to school, which, along with the stigma of a felony, dramatically undermines their prospects in the labor market. At the same time, the connection between childbearing and marriage has been broken. Chronically stressed parents — often single parents — have less time and fewer resources to invest in their children. Community institutions, including public schools, are weak, providing children with fewer extracurricular opportunities. When children get into trouble — as children from all classes are wont to do — there is little support structure for addiction treatment and legal help. Paul Ryan has at least attempted a response to the problems of urban poverty. Source: www.recordnet.com
