“All things that governments do can be divided into two categories – those we could do away with today and those we hope to be able to do away with tomorrow.” – The Machinery of Freedom
Riots, looting, arson, and calls to “Defund the Police” followed the untimely murder of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, leading to an increase in crime in urban pockets around the country, reigniting fears and anger in predominantly black neighborhoods. With nearly 18,000 police departments nationwide, local councils gather to decide their fate. Whatever the solution, it is clear America’s criminal justice system is in serious need of a reboot.
Dissatisfaction with law enforcement could not have come at a worse time for departments that are already reeling from significant staffing shortages, which, in turn, have precipitated a relaxing of requirements and standards. Obesity among officers seems the norm more than the exception. And one has to wonder if physical limitations contribute to more aggression with guns and other weapons. National low unemployment rates, a reduction in legacy cops who used to deliver second and third generations to the force, and better opportunities with private contracting have added to an increasing lack of adequate candidates. A growing negative perception of police might be the final nail in the coffin for continuing government-run protection.
It is not surprising that in the eighteenth century, while our nation was still in its infancy, our first attempts at law and order were carried out by citizen vigilantes and privately funded citizen watches. The first formal police forces appeared in the mid-1800s, primarily to alleviate fears of the growing immigrant population in the cities. Police, who initially were established for the purpose of crime prevention, are now tasked with the enforcement of laws. And as laws expand, the breadth and depth of police involvement in our community grows. If we continue to allow our legislators to pass onerous laws that make more of us criminals, expect to see an increased presence by police.
The War on Drugs has also created a significant role for police. In 2018, there were over 1.5 million arrests for drugs, although most were for small quantity possession. While drug arrests hit blacks and Hispanics disproportionately, most drug interactions are voluntary and have no victims. Yet, these arrests represent the largest sector of federal inmates in the United States. It’s not surprising that the US has the highest prison rate of any country in the world with over 2 million inmates in prisons and jails nationwide.
Despite so many ongoing concerns, the government continues to maintain a monopoly on force, and a dismal record on outcomes. Restitution in our criminal system is virtually non-existent. Perpetrators rarely repay their victims for their losses. In most cases, insurance is tapped to make amends. While millions of criminal offenses result in billions in economic losses for individuals and businesses every year, there is far too little court-ordered restitution in the sentencing of offenders to the actual victims of these crimes. To make matters worse, our current criminal justice system solves less than half of all violent crimes, while property offenses have an even poorer resolution rate of under 20 percent. Private businesses would never survive these kinds of statistics.
Yet, private sector alternatives have proven beneficial in other sectors of society. Note the improvement that UPS and Fed-Ex have brought to package delivery over the ever-increasing debts of the government postal service. Private arbitration is rapidly crowding out government courts. With every example, there is accountability in the private sector that does not exist in government. If private markets fail, they lose customers and go out of business. Government departments, on the other hand, are encouraged to spend their entire budgets or face losing them. Most importantly, there is presently no feedback mechanism in government services, which is the lifeblood of the private sector.
In the private security sector, the total number of private security officers already doubles the number of government police. Private policing in a growing number of communities has proven to be less expensive, more efficient, and more accountable to communities and businesses. Specialized services can be designed to provide preventive options like foot and squad patrol, or ancillary services (such as detective work) purchased on an as-needed basis. Communities can further increase their safety through personal anti-theft gadgets like cameras, and alarm systems that have improved significantly. And when all else fails, that Second Amendment comes in handy, too.
In David Friedman’s 1973 book, “The Machinery of Freedom”, Friedman outlines the possibilities of living in a society free from the government, with its foundation centered on property rights. Friedman provides a detailed discussion of how a libertarian society would be structured and how it might function. Since it's clear that the experiment of limited government has failed, an anarcho-capitalist society might be worth a try.
Comments