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The signs include “identification of enemies as a unifying cause,” “controlled mass media,” “corporate power protected,” “labor power suppressed,” “disdain for intellectuals and the arts,” “obsession with crime and punishment,”and “rampant cronyism & corruption.”

"The main consequence is the gap between crime and punishment in the public mind. If you commit a crime, it is far from certain that you are going to be punished," she tells the BBC.

Min has campaigned as a different style of Democrat — one who is supportive of central progressive issues such as abortion rights and protecting the environment — but also as someone who will break from his party on certain crime and punishment issues.

“I think my views on crime and punishment are probably similar to most people I know,” Min said.

As prisons across the country release offenders early to deal with overcrowding, political space is opening up for a debate about crime and punishment.