says Natasha Frost. "People don't care so much about crime, and it's less of a political focus."
People still care about crime. I think what has changed is the definition of crime and the idea that punishment should match the crime. People have figured out that it costs a lot more to keep people locked up than to prevent the crime or "rehabilitate" the criminal.
What's next, universal health care?
I'll be surprised if the "conservatives" don't start using the "criminals are being let out of the prisons" argument to try to scare people for the upcoming elections in November and 2016. OTOH, maybe the gun nutz among them will claim crime has dropped because more people are walking around with guns.
The "free market solves all problems" capitalists will have to figure out a use for all that empty jail space- I know, they can convert it to "affordable housing" for illegal immigrants and solve two problems at once!