Re: Reducing Crime

["Laura Walker" <LJW6626@worldnet.att.net>]

>Interesting Discussion;
>
>  It seems that in Europe, the crime rate is far lower than in the U.S. (I
don't have the stats handy). Same with Japan. What do they do that we don't
do, and what would be the consequences and costs of doing it here? Anybody
have some insight on that?
>
>--Greg

One of the differences, to my knowledge, is that most European countries --
I expect the same is probably true for Japan, but I don't have the facts to
back it up right now -- is that handguns aren't "typical" weapons of choice.
I may be wrong about this, but I believe that GB, Sweden, Denmark and France
have stringent handgun laws.  I also think -- (don't hold my feet to the
fire on this one, Greg ;-] ) that the U.S. saturates its citizens with
capitalist consumerism: you can't go anywhere, watch any television, read a
magazine or newspaper, listen to a radio, without being BOMBARDED with
messages to "buy, buy, buy."  In addition, our advertising for products is
filled with sex (and, increasingly, messages of lawlessness and violence).
If you have any doubts, just take a look at advertising for liquor, or the
machismo images used to advertise SUV's, pick-up trucks and muscle cars; or
the Calvin Klein cologne commercials.  AND, in most of the advertising, it's
the so-called beautiful people: straight teeth, perfect hair, perfect body,
perfect clothes, etc., ad-nauseum.

No wonder we have sick people out there!  Some average Joe or Jane being
bombarded every day with these messages, who can never be a "beautiful
person" is taught to want all these things.  Of course, advertisers assume
no responsibility for creating this neurotic need, therefore, how can they
be expected to take any responsibility for the sick folks out there who
decide, "Hey, I'm gonna go get me a gun and get one of those (cars, pair of
Nikes, leather jackets, fill in the blank _________________________ ).  Or,
for the sick sexual predators who can't just get their rocks off by WATCHING
these sexually provocative commercial advertisements, but who take it one
step further.

Just a personal thought...

RE: the law to "out" sexual predators.  My understanding is that this type
of illness/philia is the most intractable of any!  From what I have read,
there isn't a "cure" (just as there is no cure for sociopathy).  The closest
that medical science has come is the development of a drug that, if taken on
a consistent, regular basis, reduces the sexual urges -- nothing more.
Unfortunately, who's there to monitor the sex offender to ensure he (more
often than not) takes the medication?  And, of course, even if this were so,
where is the right to privacy?  It's a tricky and troubling issue, to be
sure.  I also have mixed feelings about it -- but my own childhood
experience of sexual abuse and molestation colors my judgment.

I do have to agree with Margaret, however.  When does paying your debt to
society end?  Apparently in Virginia, never.  Of course, Virginia is a
perfect example of how the Republican party has gone to hell in a
hand-basket (excuse the pun) with the Righteous Right Christians...
>
>
>
>On Sunday, February 21, 1999 3:12 PM, Margaret Tarbet
>[SMTP:tarbet@swaa.com] wrote:
>> Nick wrote:
>>
>> >I gave mixed emotions regarding the registration (and, subsequently, the
>> >public "outing") of convicted sex offenders...
>>
>> I do too, and i'm sure for the same reasons you do -- the same
>> reasons illuminated in the article.
>>
>> Recidivism is high, but it's not 100%.  I could feel more
>> comfortable seeing recidivists outed, because most sex offenders who
>> go straight afterward, do so after the first time.    The offender
>> who offends a second time is probably not healthy enough to keep
>> from doing it a third, fouth, and fifth time too.
>>
>> But the Virginia plan to put common felony and even misdemeanor
>> records online -- wow!  That really gives me the creeps.   What
>> price rehabilitation?   What does it take before someone has 'paid
>> his debt to society' in full?  Is any error to be a life sentence?
>