XPost: talk.politics.drugs, talk.politics.guns, alt.current-events.usa   
   XPost: talk.politics.misc, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.usa.republican   
   XPost: alt.politics.bush, alt.law-enforcement   
   From: DEMI_GOD_@SHAW.CA   
      
   "GEM"  wrote in message   
   news:5w9Gb.8071$d%1.1839474@news20.bellglobal.com...   
   >   
   >   
   > >   
   > > the "deterrent effect" simply does not exist.  if people aren't   
   > > worried about *eternal damnation* from the magic sky fairy, then the   
   > > possibility of spending some time in a cage (or even sparked on fire)   
   > > can hardly be construed as much of a "deterrent."  people who commit   
   > > crimes simply don't expect to be apprehended -- they don't give the   
   > > slightest consideration to the potential penalties.   
   > >   
   > > the law serves solely as a mechanism of retribution   
   >   
   > ==   
   >   
   > Extremely well said sir.   
   >   
   > Law Enforcement as a deterrent sucks cold air.   
   >   
   > A criminal needs to take risks as his chosen/necessary way of life.   
   > Its the very risk that creates the inflated value of his wages.   
   >   
   > Without Prohibition of Drugs; for example, all drugs automatically lose   
   > their black market value and immediately assume their natural market value   
   > according to availability, processing costs, quality, etc..   
   >   
   > The best one can do as a crook, is to steal often enough and big enough to   
   > afford to lease good lawyers and buy Law Enforcement protection... maybe   
   > rent a city official by the month...these are the things that make the   
   > "deterrent" ignorable, or at least negotiable. Its the Black Market   
   Economy.   
   >   
   > The "deterrent" may help to keep honest folk from becoming dishonest.   
   > But I really doubt it.   
   >   
   > One usually has to disenfranchise an honest person - make him homeless -   
   in   
   > order to make sure he becomes a criminal.   
   >   
   > Law Enforcement As Retribution also sucks big time.   
   >   
   > It is ever so much easier to frame and incarcerate a poor and innocent   
   > civilian for a Prohibition law violation, than it is to prove a rich crook   
   > guilty of anything in these dying days of the modern west. All the crooks   
   > bought white hats. :)   
   >   
      
      
   While I couldn't agree with you more on everything being said, I also think   
   that  the "deterrent" subject deserves more attention.  Because its   
   challenging nature is likely to inspire people to defy the mandated   
   authorities in case of disagreeing with "imposed punishment", or "fairness"   
   of it.   
      
   Beside the fact that all individuals may react differently to a KNOWN   
   danger, their behavior would certainly be totally unpredictable if the   
   element of danger itself is inconspicuous and unknown to a person who is   
   ignorant and unaware of legality of own actions lest their consequences. Ad   
   to this pile the corruption of law enforcement and their practice of   
   treating/mistreating people they have been (falsely) guided to target and to   
   have at their disposal, and you have a total travesty even before the   
   "deterrent" has been towered by "despotic tyrants" (of legal industry who   
   would obviously be misusing their position of power, in this case) on   
   already crashed by the system, powerless member of society.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)