Prisoners of Politics

Rachel Barkow, a renowned legal scholar, explores the devastating social and economic consequences of the United States’ high incarceration rates and advocates for an institutional shift toward data-driven, expertise-based criminal justice policies. Drawing from empirical research and practical experience, she proposes specific, evidence-based reforms aimed at reducing mass incarceration while ensuring public safety. Her approach emphasizes the importance of objective analysis over political whims in shaping effective criminal justice practices.