Scott summarizes and responds to reader comments on his prison effectiveness analysis, covering topics like criminal psychology, policing, El Salvador's crime reduction, probation issues, and proposed alternatives to imprisonment. Longer summary

This post summarizes and responds to reader comments on Scott's previous analysis of prison effectiveness, covering several key areas. Commenters discuss criminal psychology and the role of time discounting, policing practices and staffing challenges, the timeline of El Salvador's crime reduction, issues with probation as an alternative to prison, and various proposed solutions. Scott particularly engages with comments about whether his analysis missed important factors like in-prison crime and eugenic effects, and reflects on the moral philosophy of punishing criminals. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines recent developments in model cities, including political threats to ZEDEs in Honduras, El Salvador's Bitcoin city plan, and the mysterious Praxis project. Longer summary

This blog post discusses recent developments in model cities and charter cities. It covers the political situation in Honduras affecting ZEDEs, El Salvador's plan for a Bitcoin-themed city, the mysterious Praxis project, and other model city news. The post critically examines each project, analyzing their feasibility, potential impact, and the motivations behind them. Scott Alexander provides context, expresses skepticism where appropriate, and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities these projects face. Shorter summary