It appears that most people define justice as
http://www.networkof.com/pages/blog/2003_06_22_americanjudicialarchive.htm
First, a few observations: It appears that most people define justice as making sure that those people get what they deserve. And, according to conventional wisdom, criminals deserve to be punished.
A few other simple observations: Most criminals are never caught. Convicted criminals are only that minority of law-breakers who are either stupid enough, brazen enough, poor enough or unlucky enough to get caught. And, finally and most importantly: The majority of convicted criminals will eventually be released.
Now, playing the role of evil bad guy, I would try to distract people so they don't see how ridiculous it is to believe "the crime problem" will be greatly affected by what we do with the minority of criminals who are actually caught. But with so many business-as-usual politicians muddying the media trying to look "tough on crime," I'm covered on that front.
Playing an all-powerful Dr. Lecter, I would devise a penal system where prisons serve as cages for convicted criminals (people who already feel cheated by society) and then I strip them of what little bit of human dignity they might still possess, treating them like bad children in a laboratory rat maze.
Then, because "they deserve it," I would house violent and nonviolent offenders together, deny them the right to vote and make it as difficult as possible for any of "them" to get an education or job training so they can be left to teach each other the tricks of the trade. You know, a real crime university.
But when all of the non-lifers get released is where my evil plan all comes together. Uneducated, jobless and treated as a moral leper by "respectable people," I have helped to exponentially increase the chances that the ex-con will commit more crimes, thus creating many, many more future victims.
First, a few observations: It appears that most people define justice as making sure that those people get what they deserve. And, according to conventional wisdom, criminals deserve to be punished.
A few other simple observations: Most criminals are never caught. Convicted criminals are only that minority of law-breakers who are either stupid enough, brazen enough, poor enough or unlucky enough to get caught. And, finally and most importantly: The majority of convicted criminals will eventually be released.
Now, playing the role of evil bad guy, I would try to distract people so they don't see how ridiculous it is to believe "the crime problem" will be greatly affected by what we do with the minority of criminals who are actually caught. But with so many business-as-usual politicians muddying the media trying to look "tough on crime," I'm covered on that front.
Playing an all-powerful Dr. Lecter, I would devise a penal system where prisons serve as cages for convicted criminals (people who already feel cheated by society) and then I strip them of what little bit of human dignity they might still possess, treating them like bad children in a laboratory rat maze.
Then, because "they deserve it," I would house violent and nonviolent offenders together, deny them the right to vote and make it as difficult as possible for any of "them" to get an education or job training so they can be left to teach each other the tricks of the trade. You know, a real crime university.
But when all of the non-lifers get released is where my evil plan all comes together. Uneducated, jobless and treated as a moral leper by "respectable people," I have helped to exponentially increase the chances that the ex-con will commit more crimes, thus creating many, many more future victims.
posted by i at 5:05 PM
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