Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!hoptoad!uunet!husc6!ncsuvx!mcnc!rutgers!bellcore!wind!tr From: tr@wind.UUCP Newsgroups: alt.flame Subject: Crime notes (was: Nothing to do with Gun Nuts) Message-ID: <3144@bellcore.bellcore.com> Date: Mon, 19-Oct-87 10:32:11 EDT Article-I.D.: bellcore.3144 Posted: Mon Oct 19 10:32:11 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 21-Oct-87 01:49:43 EDT References: <21300@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com Reply-To: tr@wind.UUCP (tom reingold) Distribution: na Organization: Bellcore, Morristown, Noo Joizy Lines: 33 In article <21300@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> jwl@ernie.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (James Wilbur Lewis) writes: $ [...] $ $ I suggest tougher sentencing for those who use guns to commit acts $ of aggression. Jails overcrowded? Fine; get rid of drug laws and $ concentrate on *violent* rather than victimless crimes! I would like to point out something which you might be unaware of. I point it out to be helpful. I don't think you are a flaming idiot, despite the fact that I am replying to you in "alt.flame" :-). History shows that the SEVERITY of the penalty does not act as a deterrence nearly as much as the LIKELIHOOD of the penalty. If fines were low, if sentences were short but at the same time, if every crime were to sure result in apprehension and fine or imprisonment, I believe we would begin to make some progess against crime. As we all would agree cops are not effective enough these days. They don't appear to care enough and maybe there aren't enough of them either. Also, James, I would contend with you that drugs are not always victimless crimes because addicts of heroin and crack often kill and assault people for their money so that the addicts can buy their fixes. However, I do agree on your general point that crimes with victims get too little attention and victimless crimes get too much. Maybe it's because these crimes are EASIER to enforce (which, of course is no excuse for the enforcers). Tom Reingold INTERNET: tr@bellcore.bellcore.com Bell Communications Research UUCP: !bellcore!tr 435 South St room 2L350 SOUNDNET: (201) 829-5119 [work] Morristown, NJ 07960 (201) 287-2345 [home]