A "thoughtless comment" would be something more flippant like, "lock 'em up and throw away the key!". 

> Tough on crime may only be a part of the formula, but it is a crucial and indispensable part  

I didn't say it wasn't.  

> and without which the other parts are meaningless.  

This is basically what I said but inverted. It's like if I said "1+1=2" and then you rebutted "yes, but let's not forget that 2=1+1".

Sorry for being concise and not verbose.

brxyz

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On El Salvador's Crackdown on Gangs

SqNr65

This seems like a thoughtless comment. 

Rehabilitation and opportunity are massive parts of the strategy which are already being implemented nationwide.

Tough on crime may only be a part of the formula, but it is a crucial and indispensable part, and without which the other parts are meaningless.

Not only from a utilitarian perspective whereby society can only really develop the opportunities needed to avoid a life of crime if there is a good level of criminality in the first place, but also from a moral point of view. Lack of punishment for the criminal is an injustice for the victim. Only justice will bring peace.