• Activity
  • Votes
  • Comments
  • New
  • All activity
  • Showing only topics in ~society with the tag "crime". Back to normal view / Search all groups
    1. Do we want to stop all crime?

      I was driving just now, and having a thought experiment with myself. I'll preface this that I have virtually no philosophy background, so if this is endlessly retreaded material, forgive me in...

      I was driving just now, and having a thought experiment with myself.

      I'll preface this that I have virtually no philosophy background, so if this is endlessly retreaded material, forgive me in advance.

      With all of the talk about AI enabled security cameras, drone surveillance, digital fingerprinting and other technologies of the last few years, this topic has been top of mind for me. These technologies are being sold primarily with the goal of stopping crime, and improving public safety. There are obviously tons of issues with all of these technologies regarding bias, privacy, and so on, but I wanted to distill their pitch down to first principles, that is: is it even desirable to live in a world with perfect law enforcement?

      Come with me on a magical thought experiment, and put aside real world law enforcement concerns like racism, invasive surveillance, weaponization, and all of the other problems with police for a moment.

      Imagine we lived in a world where if someone committed a crime, they were instantly caught, a speedy trial was given to them, and they were quickly punished. This world does not surveil people who are not committing crimes. It doesn't get the wrong perp ever. It doesn't use excessive force to apprehend them. It doesn't selectively enforce laws against people it doesn't like.

      It's as perfect of a law enforcement apperatus as we can possibly imagine. It's the fantasy that all of these security vendors and tech bros are trying to sell to us. Imagine that world is not only possible, but real.

      Even with all of those caveats, would that desirable?

      There's something to me that still feels dystopian about not being able to get away with crime under any circumstances.

      Is it possible that we all have this quiet compulsion and drive inside us that we think that some amount of crime is desirable in society? Do we secretly want the option of doing crime and getting away with it if the need arises?

      I can't quite pin down why I want crime to still exist at some low, simmering level, but I also can't ignore the fact that I do, and that when I imagine an entirely crime free society, it feels oppressive and stifling in my head, even though in this thought experiment, it's as perfect as can be. I think I'd probably feel differently if I had ever been the victim of some horrible crime, maybe? But I have been robbed, hit and run, and so on, and I still feel this way, so maybe not.

      Has anyone else had a good think about this? Anyone else feel similar? Any possible explanations?

      33 votes
    2. Some of my family members aren't convinced that ICE isn't overstepping and that they are just deporting people that broke the law, can you help me share unbiased links that proves they are?

      Some of the things they have claimed: The death's in Minnesota were because they provoked the ICE agents They are only deporting immigrants that are criminals or that didn't immigrate legally....

      Some of the things they have claimed:

      • The death's in Minnesota were because they provoked the ICE agents
      • They are only deporting immigrants that are criminals or that didn't immigrate legally.
      • There are biker gangs that take over streets that need to be stopped.
      • Crime is down so it is a good thing.
      • There are fewer drugs flowing into the country.
      • ICE always deported criminals, but the left is focusing on it now to be anti-trump.
      41 votes