Social support and social reform: A progressive crime control agenda

The near hegemony of conservative crime control policies is reinforced by a public idea or narrative about crime that citizens find persuasive: "Getti ng tough" with predatory offenders reduces lawlessness. Progressives have l ong criticized such ideology but they have been less successful in advancin g ideas capable of directing an alternative policy agenda. For three reason s, we suggest that social support may serve as a public idea that can help organize a progressive approach to crime control First, the idea that we sh ould increase social support to at-risk youths,families, and communities is good criminology because empirical evidence shows that social support is i nversely related to individual offending and to macrolevel crime rates. Sec ond, the claim that social support is beneficial makes sense because it res onates with Americans' personal and imagined experiences. Third, social sup port leads to specific policies that are humane and efficacious-that is, th at will improve the lives of those at risk for crime and that will increase the safety of the public.