Collapse of the Rehabilitative Model and Rise of the Tough on Crime Coalition

Telling any story of policy change, whether it is penal reform, health care, education, or any other policy, requires context. What forces drove the get-tough policy approach? Under this policy, what groups experienced the most benefits while others faced major losses? How did we get to a point where enough people in positions of power began a movement to change? Only when we begin to answer questions like these can we begin to comprehend the hurdles the smart on crime movement has overcome, the constraints that were in place, and the opportunities that enabled success.