Active Bystandership Transforms Systems

By: Joel Dvoskin

Across the United States, our default response to crime—violent or otherwise—can often be summed up in two words: mass incarceration. But if we are truly committed to a safer and more just society—for staff and incarcerated individuals alike—we must ask a more courageous question: Does incarceration, as we currently implement it, reduce the root causes of crime—or does it deepen them? Those who work in corrections know firsthand that simply locking people up doesn’t solve the complex challenges that walk through the gate. Day after day, correctional professionals are expected to manage trauma, volatility, and human suffering—often without adequate training, support, or recognition. It’s time to stop accepting this as the cost of the job.

Criminologists have long identified the leading drivers of crime: poverty and economic inequality; family disruption; peer influence; substance use and mental health needs; and lack of access to education and employment. In my own work as a psychologist, I would add two more emotional drivers: fear and anger. These are not simply individual failings—they are human responses to overwhelming conditions. And yet, our system’s primary response is confinement, often in environments that compound these very causes.

In this context, active bystandership offers a transformative lens. It teaches us to intervene not just in moments of crisis, but in systems that are failing. When we invest in training correctional professionals with the tools to support one another—through perspective-taking, emotional regulation, and professional courage—we elevate the workforce and create safer, more accountable environments. This same mindset applies to how we treat incarcerated individuals: every moment of custody can either reinforce harm or build the capacity for change.

Active bystandership calls us to elevate both the corrections workforce and the people in custody by embedding empathy, skill-building, and accountability into the culture. Imagine what’s possible if we limit incarceration to those who truly pose a risk, invest in high-quality treatment, trauma-informed care, and employment support both inside and after release. Imagine adequate numbers of correctional staff trained not just to survive their jobs, but to lead change—from within.

This is not about being soft on crime. It’s about being smart on safety—and bold enough to build systems that reflect our shared humanity.