Why should people care about non-violent crime, when violent crime, including murder, is more devastating?
Harris: I am frequently asked that question, so let me start by saying this: as a career prosecutor, I believe those who commit serious and violent crimes should face swift and certain justice. I have personally tried some of the most horrific cases imaginable, and secured convictions that have sent some of the worst criminals to spend the rest of their days behind bars. We must also recognize that “crime” is not monolithic. I have found that the “crime pyramid” is an effective way to visualize the totality of crimes committed in our society, and an effective way to communicate about how we can best fight crime. Visualizing this pyramid, at the top are the very worst crimes: murder, rape, violent assaults, crimes that rightly command our attention. While these crimes are so horrific and threatening, they form the very top of the pyramid because they constitute the minority of crimes – as only one fourth of all offenders sentenced to prison are violent offenders. One of the main reasons
