Criminal justice reform, self-government, and the pursuit of justice

Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.

Part 1 (starts at 2:00): Headlines - We take a look at the criminal justice system through the lens of the changes in the crime rate and incarceration rate over the last 55 years.  Links: FBI crime data; Bureau of Justice Statistics on the prison population; President Johnson's 1965 message to Congress; report of President Johnson’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. 

Part 2 (27:05): Required Reading - Professor Corbin assigns William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure and a selection from Pierre Manent’s latest book, Natural Law and Human Motives. Reflections on human nature, the pursuit of justice, and the preconditions for self-government.   

Part 3 (44:55): Open the Grade Book - July usually means family vacations. We grade four options for our Covid-19 summer: a trip to the big city, camping and visits to national parks, time at lakes and beaches, and a staycation.  

Part 4 (50:55): Tocqueville's Crystal Ball - After a dispute over who won last week’s podcast downloads challenge, we project the state of the presidential race leading into the Fourth of July. Link: RealClearPolitics Presidential Campaign Betting Odds. 

Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.

Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.