Imagining Alternative Policing

A self cleaning society

In a world where humans have survived trial after trial and disaster after crisis they arrived at an epoch of order and tranquility.

In this time and place law and order developed from a system of policing and punishment to one of meeting everyone’s needs and showing patience and grace when the peace is disturbed.

When the flaws in humanity rear their ugly heads from time to time the expectation is that this society moves to reconcile the wrong done and works to rehabilitate the person who has broken the peace.

This work is done by the community directly affected.

The normal expectations and work is halted and resources are redistributed for the caretaking and reconciliation that needs to occur.

The past and the old paradigm is kept alive and taught in all its ugliness and truth so that the value of peace and the new order can not be take for granted.

The irredeemable pose a problem.

After years of earnest work to rehabilitate repeat offenders decisions must be made to maintain the peace and safety of all, including the offender.

The peace of each individual is at stake when the irredeemable persist and remain as an object lesson for the impressionable.

The aggrieved party can not always heal and return to peace with the presence of the irredeemable and threat of more violence or harm.

So in a self policing society a subset of the population manifests the need for a police force.

The irredeemable are the most recalcitrant and unrepentant offenders, not having the guile to practice infractions they can get away with or feign repentance.

Many offenders find ways to operate within the confines of the peace and avoid any conflict with reconciliation councils.

These are the people who are put in charge of the irredeemable.

As the irredeemable grow in number their overseers also grow in number and importance.

The redeemed as they are called put their skills at corruption to great use in the fiefdom they carve out for themselves.

Soon the reconciliation councils are busier than ever and sending more and more people to the redeemed for infractions that they should be able to be rehabilitated from.

Whispers of what goes on in the irredeemable quadrant makes its way to the leadership. Something must be done. The long-standing and hard fought peace is at stake. The principles and shining example of this self cleaning society are in danger of corrosion from within.