Active Quote by Anonymous
“...but this is the real objection to that torrent of modern talk about treating crime as disease, about making prison merely a hygienic environment like a hospital, of healing sin by slow scientific methods. The fallacy of the whole thing is that evil is a matter of active choice whereas disease is not.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Contemporary commentary on criminal justice reform
The argument claims treating crime as a disease is flawed because wrongdoing stems from conscious choices, unlike illness which is involuntary.
In simple terms: Crime is a choice, not a disease.
Key Takeaway
Address personal responsibility in crime prevention.
Themes
justice
personal responsibility
ethics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
opinion
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- law enforcement training
- public health analogies
Key Concepts
choice
determinism
rehabilitation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance accountability with understanding social determinants?
- What role should rehabilitation play if crime is a choice?
A Different Perspective
The view may ignore systemic factors that influence behavior.
![“People at CDC [Centers for Disease Control] who cut their teeth on diseases over the last 10 years have started to think of crime as another disease, and using some of these same concepts. It was something that was in the air in that world, but it was time to bust it out and apply it to any number…” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/33b/malcolm-gladwell-348_air_people-at-cdc-centers-for-disease-contro_2553534.jpg)
