America has cycled back and forth between retributory “justice” (punishment and “law enforcement officers”) and reformatory (penitentiaries and “peace officers”). Currently it’s in the most destructive of the first modes, and seems anchored there by being coupled to a private sector lobby and a propaganda of violence.

But history has shown it could cycle back to more practical state, as exemplified by Judge Cicconetti. It doesn’t even require mushy idealism: a practical view of achieving the cheapest outcome shows that “hammer and tongs” doesn’t work.