this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2025
236 points (99.2% liked)
World News
440 readers
637 users here now
Rules:
- Be a decent person
- No spam
- Add the byline, or write a line or two in the body about the article.
founded 3 months ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Threats don't prevent crime in general.
Err... yes they do.
The threat of punishment deters people from committing crimes.
Not as much as people might wish. Crimes are generally either irrational or desperate, and neither of those states lend themselves to considering what-ifs that may or may not come to pass.
That's not to say punishment isn't a vital part of a society, but the belief that increased punishment implies increased compliance comes from a place of ignorance.
You mean the crimes people do in societies with punishments? Kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy you have there.
Err... no it doesn't. Look at the amount of theft in places that allow it vs. places that cut off your hands. It's normal to steal from Walmart, but a sub-saharen African street vendor might be able to get your hands cut off if they catch you stealing from them.
A place of ignorance is ignoring which place has the greater amount of theft, even when considering who is more incentivized to steal. It's okay. Most people on these forums are disconnected from reality.