The Missing Piece of the Conversation and Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Behind the Rise and Fall of Philadelphia’s Prison Population: A Conversation

Last semester, I attended the original panel discussion hosted at the Penn Law School concerning the Philadelphia Research Initiative report on "Philadelphia's Crowded, Costly Jails: The Search for Safe Solutions" (video of the conversation can be found here, link to a PDF of the full report can be found here). The report itself is a very clear and comprehensive picture of the Philadelphia jail population (though for a reason I still don't understand, the county jails in Philly are referred to as "prisons"). Specifically, the report focuses on the recent decline in jail populations, factors that contributed to the decline, and ways in which this decline can be continued. While much of the decline can be attributed to legislative changes that transferred inmates from county jail to state prison, other factors have contributed to the changing Philadelphia jail population. The panel answered a few questions at the event, but recently also responded to questions that were emailed in that could not be responded to at the event (the extended Q&A can be read here).

My question is why, in this discussion of crime and incarceration, the issue of juvenile incarceration was never mentioned. Seth Williams, in most of his public appearances, is sure to include a statement about how the one factor that most jail and prison inmates have in common is lack of education. However, the conversation falls short of addressing how to keep kids in school and out of juvenile detention before they become involved in the adult system. Most adults who are arrested have juvenile records-- either indicating that they are incorrigible, career criminals, or that they have already been failed by one system which effectively deposited them in another. In Philadelphia, the juvenile justice system is within the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Services (what most people here associate only with child welfare). This may allow criminal justice experts to ignore it as a "human services" issue. However, a comprehensive discussion about causes and consequences of crime and incarceration in Philadelphia must (and usually doesn't) include a conversation about juvenile justice. I hope to explore the unique position of juvenile justice within DHS more in the coming weeks at my internship.

After this first week of work at the Field Center for Children's Policy, Practice & Research, I remembered how balancing an academic understanding of issues and deep appreciation of the humanity of the subjects of research is often difficult and taxing. In my emotional exhaustion, I made cookies.

Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter, softened

2/3 c. white sugar

1/4 c. sifted confectioners sugar

2 1/2 tbsp. fresh lavender, chopped

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

Method

Cream together butter and sugars (another excuse to use the ever-amazing electric beaters, and the recently-acquired sifter).

Mix in lavender and lemon.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and salt, and mix.

Add flour mixture to butter until dough forms. Make two balls of dough, cover in plastic wrap, flatten and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325.

Remove dough from refrigerator, form small balls and flatten between your palms.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how toasty-brown you want the edges.