Ep. 32 - Crime and Punishment: Public Safety with Magnus Lofstrom PhD

Magnus Lofstrom PhD is one of those sophisticated intellectuals that has mastered such a breadth and depth of knowledge, but with such a casual and unassuming manner, I was immediately impressed and more than a little envious. In this fascinating interview, I chat with him about his longstanding work in public policy and specifically on the "crime wave" affecting the country and in particular California. Follow home robberies, shoplifting, and theft as well as the violence on the streets have commandeered national attention and our doom scrolling as more cellphone footage of criminal acts spreads rapidly online. He breaks down the truth from the propaganda on what's really happening to public safety in America.

In this interview, Magnus and I discuss how public safety has been at the forefront of criminal justice reforms in recent years in California. How alternative strategies to incarceration must be identified if California hopes to reduce its reliance on imprisonment and maintain public safety, listeners can visit his website at PPIC!

Key Highlights:

[00:01 - 04:56] - Opening segment

Dr. Rusha introduces Magnus Lofstrom PhD!

[04:57 - 15:29] – Addressing The Issue On Persistent Crime Rates Despite Reform

California’s incarcerated population is due to a multitude of factors

COVID's significant impact on crime rates

Factors contributing to changes in crime rates

Reducing reliance on incarceration

Recruitment and retention of law enforcement staff is challenging

[15:30 - 43:19] – Better Policing Is An Effective Strategy For Risk Mitigation

Violent crime rates have not increased dramatically in recent years

Identifying what drives the increase in crime rates

Public safety

Significant justice reforms in the past decade

[43:20 – 55:24] - Closing Segment

Magnus believes suggests that changes in law enforcement personnel, recruitment issues, and tension between communities

Listeners are invited to visit https://www.alfiekohn.org/!

Connect with Magnus Lofstrom PhD at his:

Website: PPIC

Website: IZA

LinkedIn: Magnus Lofstrom PhD
 

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Tweetable Quotes:

Magnus Lofstrom PhD - "Whatever we think are key contributing factors to these changes, we need to look for things that are taking place throughout the nation.”

Magnus Lofstrom PhD - "When we are talking about these changes, what you really would like to have is a very clear and direct answer."

Dr. Rusha Modi - “Reintegration is really a challenge for not just people who were incarcerated, but for a lot of dispossessed and underserved communities just in the country, and it highlights that social inequality.”