“There is a prevailing narrative about crime that positions bad people as the problem and toughness — in the form of police and prisons — as the solution,” writes Phillip Atiba Goff, a professor of psychology at @yale. Yet, he says, spending more on police and prisons has little, if any, effect on violent crime; it just diverts attention from ideas that actually could make a difference. So why do politicians continue to peddle such policies? An ulterior motive might be at play, Philip says. “If people are talking about how tough they are and how scared you should be, they care more about keeping you scared than keeping you safe.” #crime #nytopinion