Adam Serwer on criminal justice reform:
Eric Haines lives in his father’s basement in Paterson, New Jersey, just across the street from a freshly anointed memorial to a childhood friend who was shot to death two weeks ago — Haines’ second friend to die violently in as many weeks. A white sheet hangs over a chain-link fence, facing an audience of Jesus candles sprinkled with dirt kicked up from a recent rainstorm. A few dozen feet away, several men are gathered outside a corner store, where they will remain past nightfall.
Haines might be out there with them if it weren’t for the black box that’s been strapped to his ankle since he violated the conditions of his parole several weeks ago. Haines, 27, has only caught two non-drug charges — one for trespassing, one for weapons possession — but he has been under supervision for the past nine years because he’s made parole violations something of a habit. (Haines’ name has been changed for his safety.)
