America uses its police and the criminal justice system to solve social problems where there are...

[Yavin4]

better solutions through greater investments in education, mental health, housing, better public infrastructure, and other better uses of money. Instead we throw cops at every problem which only creates an institution that over time becomes more and more hostile to some of the communities that it polices. That hostility comes from the fact that they're not solving the problems most of which they cannot solve. Additionally, the job itself attracts people who want to exert power and authority over others.

Throw in systematic racism at all levels, and violent outcomes are inevitable and horrifyingly frequent.

[Takket]

1. you took the words right out of my mouth........

policing is a reactive response to crime. we need proactive options. if america was a car we would be driving it until the engine catches fire and burns it to a crisp because we didn't want to spend $40 on a regular oil change.

by the time the police are involved it is already too late. They can't be a solution to a problem because if the problem is crime, by the time the police show up the crime has ALREADY OCCURRED.

[iemanja]

2. That's what the so-called defund the police movement was about

Funding these other functions so that they would not fall to police. Unfortunately, the name was so bad it became a political liability.

[Irish_Dem]

3. The most important resources we have are the planet and the people on it.

We don't care about either.

[RockRaven]

4. I must object... on the grounds that America has never actually solved any of its social problems

through the use of police.

But that America says that about police and social problems to excuse what police do/are instructed to do -- as well as to excuse not trying any of those other things -- that is very true. We do do that.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. "supress", not "solve". nt