In a message dated 3/6/99 12:04:31 AM, T.O. wrote:
<<Also, this would not stop
>the impoverished from committing crime, if you don't have anything to take,
>what have you to lose?
You lose the social credit rating that makes it possible to rent an apartment, hold down a job, go to school, and so forth. Or you may face imprisonment in a work camp. >>
To me, the answer is obvious. You must tune the punishment to the crime and distinguish levels of sociopathology.
A crime of violence is very different from a crime of property. Violent individuals must be removed from society proportionately to the level of violence and recidivism up to permanent removal for murder one.
On the other hand, it's totally counterproductive and wasteful to imprison perpetrators of property crimes. Here is where restitution works. If the perp is poor, make him do useful work in (maybe get training) in a restitution facility.
Victimless crimes, of course, need to be taken off the books.
I am a libertarian for law abiding citizens, but if you commit a crime, there must be consequences.
Adrian