Border agent hit, killed by suspect's car

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wow - we're onto parables now. This is like the Twilight Zone

BTW - Sociopathic personality disorder is a psychological disorder. I wonder how many drug dealers really have that...

I didn't say drug dealers would be diagnosed with any kind psychological disorder. I said the are sociopathic predators, which is just a description of their behavior.

Sociopathic implies sociopathy. Sociopathy being a psychological disorder.

Well then, there's our solution! We'll just inform them that they can't behave like that without a proper diagnosis of a psychological disorder from a licensed professional.

You can describe it how you want. Whether its true is another matter - even if it does make it easier to write off a whole bunch of people as being unworthy to live.

Yeah, and if you've never been a victim it makes it easier to explain away and justify criminal behavior.

Noone... I think... has justified criminal behaviour - just that legalising would remove a source of income and a major driving force behind a lot of inner city crime.

You seem to be of the opinion that even minor misdemeanors should be dealt with by imposing disproportionately severe prison sentences. I think there's more than enough reason to question whether that is i) logistically feasible, and ii) whether it will actually have an impact on lowering statistics.

[Peikko 1,575]

Being a victim of crime does not give you special license to make the rules as to how justice should be meted out. The justice system in the US has been created to try to mitigate against any form of bias. It may not be perfect, but allowing victims to make all the decisions isn't a rational or justifiable position for all kinds or reasons, not least emotional involvement.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Being a victim of crime does not give you special license to make the rules as to how justice should be meted out. The justice system in the US has been created to try to mitigate against any form of bias. It may not be perfect, but allowing victims to make all the decisions isn't a rational or justifiable position for all kinds or reasons, not least emotional involvement.

Hence the different between 1st world, and 3rd world justice.

[HAL 9000 96]

Well, 3rd world Colombia has its own problems in crime stemming from corruption through economic hardships. At least what they don't have is a burgeoning domestic drug market. Export, baby...

[garya505 2]

Wow - we're onto parables now. This is like the Twilight Zone

BTW - Sociopathic personality disorder is a psychological disorder. I wonder how many drug dealers really have that...

I didn't say drug dealers would be diagnosed with any kind psychological disorder. I said the are sociopathic predators, which is just a description of their behavior.

Sociopathic implies sociopathy. Sociopathy being a psychological disorder.

Well then, there's our solution! We'll just inform them that they can't behave like that without a proper diagnosis of a psychological disorder from a licensed professional.

You can describe it how you want. Whether its true is another matter - even if it does make it easier to write off a whole bunch of people as being unworthy to live.

Yeah, and if you've never been a victim it makes it easier to explain away and justify criminal behavior.

Noone... I think... has justified criminal behaviour - just that legalising would remove a source of income and a major driving force behind a lot of inner city crime.

You seem to be of the opinion that even minor misdemeanors should be dealt with by imposing disproportionately severe prison sentences. I think there's more than enough reason to question whether that is i) logistically feasible, and ii) whether it will actually have an impact on lowering statistics.

Legalising drugs to remove a source of income for criminals would only lead them to find another source, unless you think they would just throw up their hands and say "well, if I can't make money selling drugs so I guess I'll go get an honest job".

I never suggested "disproportionately severe prison sentences" for minor misdemeanors.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wow - we're onto parables now. This is like the Twilight Zone

BTW - Sociopathic personality disorder is a psychological disorder. I wonder how many drug dealers really have that...

I didn't say drug dealers would be diagnosed with any kind psychological disorder. I said the are sociopathic predators, which is just a description of their behavior.

Sociopathic implies sociopathy. Sociopathy being a psychological disorder.

Well then, there's our solution! We'll just inform them that they can't behave like that without a proper diagnosis of a psychological disorder from a licensed professional.

You can describe it how you want. Whether its true is another matter - even if it does make it easier to write off a whole bunch of people as being unworthy to live.

Yeah, and if you've never been a victim it makes it easier to explain away and justify criminal behavior.

Noone... I think... has justified criminal behaviour - just that legalising would remove a source of income and a major driving force behind a lot of inner city crime.

You seem to be of the opinion that even minor misdemeanors should be dealt with by imposing disproportionately severe prison sentences. I think there's more than enough reason to question whether that is i) logistically feasible, and ii) whether it will actually have an impact on lowering statistics.

Legalising drugs to remove a source of income for criminals would only lead them to find another source, unless you think they would just throw up their hands and say "well, if I can't make money selling drugs so I guess I'll go get an honest job".

I never suggested "disproportionately severe prison sentences" for minor misdemeanors.

I don't think that has been claimed or assumed. As has been said many times you can't curtail all forms of criminal activity - I certainly don't have any illusions about that. You can, however, try new approaches to address specific problems when the old/current ones clearly aren't working.