Criminals, The Ultimate Government Leeches

[The_Dude 1,142]

Criminals are a huge liability to our society. They cause damage that costs the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage as well as entire beauracracy and infrastructure created out of their poor decisions. Simply put, people who commit crimes are government leaches. Lets take a look at some of the costs that we as taxpayers (on the federal, state, county and city level) are forced to pay for.

Whether chasing speeders or hunting down serial killers, policing is big business. The uniformed cop on the street is the tip of the human resource iceberg. To their numbers can be added detective and criminalist teams, then civilian staff ranging from technicians and auto mechanics to bean counters and file clerks.

Law enforcement budgets are further swollen by equipment costs. Think only of the average police patrol car, often equipped with radios, onboard computers and cameras. Nor are those police stations built with only a few thousand dollars. Think millions, lots of millions.

Not enough: multiply by levels of jurisdiction--local, state/provincial, national. In the United States we have the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, Border Patrol, on and on, and these are just federal. Calling it all Homeland Security doesn't reduce the bottom line. If anything, it adds another level of cost.

Nor is all of this enough. How about by-law enforcement? Meter maids, dog catchers, anti-smoking and anti-noise sleuths, and, of course, the army of civilian security guards in our malls and warehouse districts.

For serious felonies and misdemeanors, arrest doesn't end the cost. Now come phalanxes of lawyers and judges, plus their support staff, their equipment, and their buildings. Many of these are definitely high-priced help. They securely argue that justice must be seen to be done and in nations of laws this is essential.

Conviction for a crime may result in probation. More workers and infrastructure are needed to fill this niche in the supply chain.

Or there's imprisonment, and here, the costs get very heavy. Local lock-ups, county/provincial jails, state and federal prisons. Thousands more workers, plus operating and capital costs. Yet, "build it and they will come" isn't just a motivator for more "fields of dreams." It also works for prison construction. Of what use is a prison without inmates? Moreover, many prisons are now operated by private "for-profit" contractors.

At the end of imprisonment may come parole. That means parole supervisors, their support staff, and their infrastructure. Nor can halfway houses be forgotten.

Not so much topping up all of this, but actually helping to get the budgetary ball rolling and keep it rolling are social scientists, trainers, instructors, seminar leaders, etcetera.

Indirect costs, to keep the system operative are the Shadowland of criminal justice--items like insurance, health care, family relief, and victim compensation.

Finally, the system is a bureaucracy; for that matter, many intertwined bureaucracies. Bureacracies do two things, for sure: they self-perpetuate and they grow. In this case, crime and criminals are the feed stock.

The question that I pose is what can we do going forward to help alleviate the financial burden these degenerates have cost us all? My suggestion is that each criminal pay back what he or she has cost society in real dollars. If you are unable to pay for your crimes, then you can work for the state at the standard rate that you would get doing the same job in the private sector.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The question that I pose is what can we do going forward to help alleviate the financial burden these degenerates have cost us all?

Send them to a penal colony. Is Australia still open for business?

[The_Dude 1,142]

Send them to a penal colony. Is Australia still open for business?

Well, the problem with that is the cost to transport them. Furthermore, if you ship them off to a penal colony, you'll never receive repayment from them. I read in an article that criminals cost us 1.7 trillion dollars per year in all associated costs. That is greater than the budget deficit. So, if you want to close the current budget deficit and run a $200 billion surplus, make these deadbeat criminals pay for the services that they consume.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Since you linked traffic enforcement in there, I would offer that many communities rely on traffic fines to supplement, if not be the sole source of income for local government. If minor infractions are overburdening law enforcement, raise the fines.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Since you linked traffic enforcement in there, I would offer that many communities rely on traffic fines to supplement, if not be the sole source of income for local government. If minor infractions are overburdening law enforcement, raise the fines.

At least traffic enforcement somewhat pays for itself with the fines it generates. You cannot say the same for criminals.

[slim 1,530]

Or how about we hold our friends, family and neighbors accountable in our own communities? Why don't we require ourselves to be responsible citizens? How did America function before this "big business" law enforcement?

I'm personally of the opinion that we don't need it. It's just another case of throwing money at a problem we're too reluctant to deal with ourselves. "What? Tommy's beating up his wife again? I'd love to help, but American Idol's on."

[The_Dude 1,142]

Or how about we hold our friends, family and neighbors accountable in our own communities? Why don't we require ourselves to be responsible citizens? How did America function before this "big business" law enforcement?

I'm personally of the opinion that we don't need it. It's just another case of throwing money at a problem we're too reluctant to deal with ourselves. "What? Tommy's beating up his wife again? I'd love to help, but American Idol's on."

Gee slim, I wonder why YOU of all people think we don't need law enforcement.

Criminals cost us too much money to just let it go. They need to be held accountable, or be incarcerated.

[james&olya 1,121]

Well, the problem with that is the cost to transport them. Furthermore, if you ship them off to a penal colony, you'll never receive repayment from them. I read in an article that criminals cost us 1.7 trillion dollars per year in all associated costs. That is greater than the budget deficit. So, if you want to close the current budget deficit and run a $200 billion surplus, make these deadbeat criminals pay for the services that they consume.

To repay the system would require they have jobs that paid rather well. But if they had jobs, many would probably not be criminals to start with. Better parenting and early childhood programs might help but that would require money and there is no money now, not unless taxes went up. I suppose we could impose some easy but draconian penalties if they didn't pay up, maybe chop off a finger here, an arm there, etc. But if they had no jobs they would have to resort to more crime to raise the money. One smart thing we could do would be to decriminalize drug use and spend a little on treatment instead. It would be far cheaper and far less destructive to society. But that would go against the right-wingers instincts to be punitive of any behaviors they disapprove of.

[The_Dude 1,142]

To repay the system would require they have jobs that paid rather well. But if they had jobs, many would probably not be criminals to start with. Better parenting and early childhood programs might help but that would require money and there is no money now, not unless taxes went up. I suppose we could impose some easy but draconian penalties if they didn't pay up, maybe chop off a finger here, an arm there, etc. But if they had no jobs they would have to resort to more crime to raise the money. One smart thing we could do would be to decriminalize drug use and spend a little on treatment instead. It would be far cheaper and far less destructive to society. But that would go against the right-wingers instincts to be punitive of any behaviors they disapprove of.

When a criminal is released from jail, you make him or her aware of his or her debt to society, both in time (prison sentence) and monetarily. If they don't pay, they will forfeit their assets and go back to jail.

Why should we allow the criminals to dig our country further into debt because their poor decisions. Criminals are the epitome of un-American.

[Ban Hammer 13,481]

debtor's prison. how quaint we step back in time to that.

[Danno 1,228]

Criminals are a huge liability to our society. They cause damage that costs the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage as well as entire beauracracy and infrastructure created out of their poor decisions. Simply put, people who commit crimes are government leaches. Lets take a look at some of the costs that we as taxpayers (on the federal, state, county and city level) are forced to pay for.

The question that I pose is what can we do going forward to help alleviate the financial burden these degenerates have cost us all? My suggestion is that each criminal pay back what he or she has cost society in real dollars. If you are unable to pay for your crimes, then you can work for the state at the standard rate that you would get doing the same job in the private sector.

Good subject to post up.

If the "repeat offender" rate is as dismal as we have heard, I would suggest a couple of things.

- a fast track to Justice for the repeat offender. He gets a fair hearing in court but his case is not waiting in line while he is out on bail committing more crime.

-We should carefully return to the "hard labor" concept of prison. With proper oversight, prisons could become production centers of anyhting from License plates to agricultural products without turning into a profit scam or a chain gang.

Every time we have a local news-crime story, there is a local lady on the radio who will dig into the background of the offender and it is stunning how, without fail, these car-jackers, home-invaders

Subway shop holdup people, have a long record with serious crimes and very little time spent in Jail.. if any.

I would like to see an all-out effort on the repeat offenders and I think this would-in the long run, save a fortune.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Good subject to post up.

If the "repeat offender" rate is as dismal as we have heard, I would suggest a couple of things.

- a fast track to Justice for the repeat offender. He gets a fair hearing in court but his case is not waiting in line while he is out on bail committing more crime.

-We should carefully return to the "hard labor" concept of prison. With proper oversight, prisons could become production centers of anyhting from License plates to agricultural products without turning into a profit scam or a chain gang.

Every time we have a local news-crime story, there is a local lady on the radio who will dig into the background of the offender and it is stunning how, without fail, these car-jackers, home-invaders

Subway shop holdup people, have a long record with serious crimes and very little time spent in Jail.. if any.

I would like to see an all-out effort on the repeat offenders and I think this would-in the long run, save a fortune.

I'm more worried about their impact on our nation and society financially. $1.7 trillion per year is what they cost us. I don't think I should have to pay the legal fees for some criminal.

[Danno 1,228]

I'm more worried about their impact on our nation and society financially. $1.7 trillion per year is what they cost us. I don't think I should have to pay the legal fees for some criminal.

I agree but most crime is committed by young people who typically have no means to pay, I suggest they work it off some how.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Criminals are a huge liability to our society. They cause damage that costs the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage as well as entire beauracracy and infrastructure created out of their poor decisions. Simply put, people who commit crimes are government leaches. Lets take a look at some of the costs that we as taxpayers (on the federal, state, county and city level) are forced to pay for.

The question that I pose is what can we do going forward to help alleviate the financial burden these degenerates have cost us all? My suggestion is that each criminal pay back what he or she has cost society in real dollars. If you are unable to pay for your crimes, then you can work for the state at the standard rate that you would get doing the same job in the private sector.

Which of those government agencies do you think wants to have their budgets cut? To "reduce spending" means the people that receive the spending, in the form of jobs, sales of equipment, etc., do not get paid anymore. They do not like that. They do not want the "problem" to be solved. For them it is a career, not a problem.

BUT if you want to reduce crime...really want to reduce crime

1. Provide government paid education until a bachelors degree or trade school for those who wish that

2. Require high school graduation

3. No drivers license befoare age 21 unless you are a high school graduate OR are enrolled in high school or equivilent

4. No welfare of any kind unless you are also working and/or enrolled in school.

5. Allow any law abiding citizen over age 18 to carry concealed handguns.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Maybe we're incarcerating too much? There are plenty of non-violent offenders locked up for smoking a joint or lighting up the crack pipe. Not saying that there aren't crimes that do warrant the offenders to be locked up (there most certainly are) but I am sure that we could do with much less of this. Of course, prison corporations would suffer as that would cut into their bottom lines. But that is a rather non-productive part of the economy anyways so there's really nothing wrong with shrinking it down in size to what is necessary rather than what's profitable.