You may have heard my name recently. I’m being attacked by the right-wing media for making what they believe is a radical claim — no one should be jailed for stealing toothpaste.

I stand by those comments, but not because I believe in lawlessness. I care just as deeply about delivering compassionate justice as I do about using our resources effectively. Criminalizing poverty accomplishes neither goal.

Even one night in jail can mean someone loses their housing or employment. It might be satisfying to say that someone should consider that before getting arrested, but our society is safer when people get resources, not punishment. The data backs this up.

A 2022 study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that choosing not to prosecute someone for a nonviolent misdemeanor led to dramatic reductions in new complaints. After examining the data, Suffolk County in Massachusetts adopted a policy of non-prosecution for........

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