Crime Prevention
Posted by Hiraghm 12 years, 3 months ago to Philosophy
A vague poll. Who here approves of crime prevention?
Me, I oppose crime prevention. I far prefer crime *punishment*.
Me, I oppose crime prevention. I far prefer crime *punishment*.
I consider the anti texting-while-driving laws to be an example of crime prevention.
No harm is done texting while driving. There's no connection between texting and car accidents.
The connection is between not being in control of your vehicle and having an accident.
Maybe khalling is a super genius who can devote equal attention to driving and texting. She, perhaps, can drive from LA to NY writing texts nonstop and never even approach an accident.
Anti-texting laws prevent her from doing something she's capable of doing perfectly well, simply because *I* can't do it.
But, I'm still not explaining it well enough.
I oppose laws that remove the capability of committing a crime.
You can do A; if you do A, we will put you in jail.
Now, in order to do A, you have to have, or be able to also do, B, which is a perfectly normal, mundane operation. So, instead of punishing you for having actually committed the crime of A, I nab you for B.
What got me thinking about this again was the movie "Minority Report" . I just saw it for the first time on cable the other day.
In the movie, they can predict when you will commit a murder. So you are arrested before you can commit it.
I oppose that.
It's very difficult for me to explain, it's one of those things I have a "gut feeling" about.
Another favorite example is the seat belt laws. I can get a ticket if I don't have a seat belt on... why? Not having the seat belt on won't rape anyone, won't murder anyone, at worst it puts my life at risk (and I've known people who held the opposite view, including two aunts who were convinced the seat belt shoulder harness gave them breast cancer.) Yet, I can be punished for not wearing it (guess who benefits from such laws? Insurance companies...)
Personally, I have a terror of being trapped alive in a car by my seat belt and drowning. It's not a strong likelihood, but who gets to decide what's best for my life... me, or an actuarial table?
So is that a vote for crime prevention, or for crime punishment?