The crime scares of recent years have been a fiction. The current appearance of solving the crime problem is nothing more than politicians heightening people' s fears in order to assuage them. Crime rates have been essentially stable since the 1970's. Most offenders are not dangerous. There are simply not enough serious violent offenders to account for the massive increases in law enforcement.
Law enforcement is one of the fastest growing public sector expenditures.
Companies that receive this public money have an increasing interest in continuing the expansion of the justice system, regardless of the wisdom of the policy. Many cold war military suppliers are converting to civilian law enforcement. The Department of Justice, the CIA and the Pentagon are quietly taking an active and coordinated role in marketing defense-related technologies to law enforcement agencies. Efforts to expand this market increase enforcement expenditures, regardless of need or effectiveness. It is politically safe for politicians to attack criminals because nobody likes them and nobody defends them.