Justice as Prevention
Justice as Prevention is the foundational justice philosophy of OMXUS. The core insight: "Humans don't stop. We can start stuff but we can't stop stuff because then we'd need other stuff to take its place."
The most effective social interventions don't try to eliminate bad behaviors—they cultivate conditions where good behaviors naturally flourish and bad behaviors lose their ecological niche.
The Fundamental Problem with "Stop" Approaches
Why "Stopping" Fails
- Creates vacuums that something else fills (usually something worse)
- Requires constant enforcement and surveillance
- Triggers reactance in people who resist being controlled
- Focuses energy on what we don't want rather than what we do want
- Breeds resentment and underground resistance
Examples of Failed "Stop" Strategies
| "Stop" Approach | Unintended Consequence | What Filled the Vacuum |
|---|---|---|
| "Stop drinking" (Prohibition) | Black market violence, organized crime | Illegal alcohol trade |
| "Stop drug use" (War on Drugs) | Mass incarceration, dealer violence | Underground drug economy |
| "Stop teen pregnancy" (abstinence-only) | Higher pregnancy rates | Lack of contraceptive knowledge |
| "Stop crime" (tough on crime) | Recidivism, family destruction | Prison-industrial complex |
The "Start Good" Alternative
Principle: Grow What We Want Until What We Don't Want Has Nowhere to Live
Instead of fighting problems, we cultivate solutions so robust that problems naturally wither.
Examples of Successful "Start" Strategies
| Problem | "Stop" Approach (Failed) | "Start" Approach (Successful) |
|---|---|---|
| Youth violence | Zero tolerance, suspensions | Mentorship programs, youth employment, sports leagues |
| Drug addiction | Criminalization, punishment | Treatment, housing-first, supervised injection sites |
| Child drowning | Blame parents, prosecute | CPR training, pool safety education, equipment subsidies |
| Domestic violence | Arrest perpetrators | Men's groups, economic support, relationship skills |
Design Pillars for Generative Systems
1. Belonging Loops
What you start: Rituals, gatherings, and micro-communities that give every person at least two "we've-got-you" circles.
Examples:
- Men's Sheds for isolated fathers
- Parent co-ops for overwhelmed mothers
- Faith pods for spiritual community
- Maker guilds for creative expression
Why it works: Isolation—fuel for violence, neglect, and despair—struggles to survive in dense social networks.
2. Skills That Travel
What you start: Free, joyous learning experiences delivered as festivals, not classroom duties.
Examples:
- CPR training at community BBQs
- Conflict resolution through board gaming
- Budget management as cooking classes
- Parenting skills through storytelling
Why it works: Competence + play flips "ignorance crises" into community superpowers without moral panic.
What you start: Systems that let resources circulate horizontally rather than being hoarded vertically.
Examples:
- Tool libraries for equipment sharing
- Time banks for service exchange
- Neighborhood key-safes for emergency access
- Peer childcare networks
Why it works: When resources circulate horizontally, scarcity narratives fade, stress loads drop, and punitive systems lose their grip.
4. Celebrated Data
What you start: Public dashboards that count creations, not just crimes avoided.
Examples:
- "Good news walls" in community centers
- Monthly "Connection Hours" totals
- Photos of new community gardens
- Stories of neighbor-helping-neighbor
Why it works: People chase the scoreboard they can see; highlight wins, and momentum follows.
5. Story Seeds
What you start: Narratives that cast everyday helpers as folk heroes.
Examples:
- "Latch Legend" for pool safety advocates
- "Gate Guru" for home security helpers
- "Budget Ninja" for financial literacy mentors
- "Bridge Builder" for conflict mediators
Why it works: Narratives pull behavior; glorify positive archetypes and culture tilts autonomously.
OMXUS Implementation
Universal Witness
You're never isolated. Someone is always nearby. Crimes of opportunity vanish.
Instant Response
Help arrives in 60 seconds. Harm is interrupted before it escalates.
Cryptographic Accountability
Actions are signed. Attribution is certain. Anonymity for harm is impossible.
Proximity Responsibility
Nearby people MUST help. Bystander effect eliminated by design.
Economic Alternative
Everyone can earn legitimately. Desperation-driven harm reduced.
Bottom Line
You can't stop humans from being human. But you can start building environments where the best of human nature has room to flourish.
The most effective crime prevention is community celebration. The best child protection is parent support. The strongest violence reduction is connection creation.
Punishment is abolished. Retribution is meaningless. Only prevention matters.