Frequently forgotten, though, are the deeper problems: wrongful conviction, racial discrimination, endless waits for appeal, and extraordinary costs, to say nothing of a growing moral divisiveness.
But that is insufficient to combat the mutually reinforcing plagues of increasing divisiveness and growing inequality.
Most Western nations observe a growing popularity of politicians who use divisiveness and "us against them" messages to fuel the frustration and worry of those who already feel disenfranchised by the establishment.
But maybe, just maybe, Mark Penn's ouster at the top of the Clinton campaign could be the silver lining to the cloud of divisiveness which has been steadily growing over the Democratic Party.
She spoke about the divisiveness and the mistrust that she saw growing, partly because of what she was seeing around her, and partly because of what she was experiencing in her own self.
I shudder at the growing popularity of right-wing extremists, a la Donald Trump, fomenting divisiveness, xenophobia, and racial bigotry.
What's most outrageous is that they're highly paid by Fox News to stir up divisiveness, hatred and xenophobia that fuel a dangerous, growing racial divide in this country targeting people of color from all ethnicities.
Furthermore, it is important that we better understand the recession's contribution to growing economic disparities, which can prove to be a source of socioeconomic instability and political divisiveness.
As a college student growing up during the Bush-Clinton era, I have been forced to live within the wreckage of such divisiveness, learning to expect nothing but incompetence from government and complacency from citizens.
