Inverting the 'CRIMINAL JUSTICE' System.

[MegalosSkylaki]

There is a strange notion that informs --or disinforms --the manner in which sentences are meeted out: Start with a 'slap on the wrist' and proceed from there.

Many moons ago, when I moved into my rental apartment, I needed a kitchen light fixture replaced. I gave the maintanance worker what seemed like an absurdly large tip, like $15 (many moons ago) for a job he was being paid to do anyway.

No problem in getting a small army of maintenance people in to fix this and that after that !

The first tip is the most important one so in a bar or such give it early and the rest flows smoothly.

So why do we educate offendors that IF you get caught and IF you get convicted, you'll get probation. Sometimes for many times.
And ONLY if there is a repeat pattern are significant sentences meeted out, after criminal behaviour is firmly ensconced in their behavioural repertoire.

Why not give the big sentences early, and small ones if we learn that it hasn't worked.

The most important punishment is the first.

Any comments?

DOOOOG

[Chooco]

by 'inverting the justice system' i thought you meant start punishing criminals instead of the victims

but yeah i see what you mean, it's a good idea but shouldn't the punishment be harsh ALWAYS and not just the first time?

[MegalosSkylaki]

The Law of Effect states that rewarded behaviour is more likely to occur and punished behaviour is less likely to occur.

Thorndyke, who coined the expression, discovered as did other early learning theorists , like Harlow("learning to learn") that the Law of Effect is Assymetrical.

Reward being more powerful than punishment.

Those who don't commit crimes , more usually have another agenda which is valuable to them and keeps them on track. The key is not harshness, but informativeness. Developng alternative agendas--which are rewarding--can be very informative.

But leave the harshest --or at least a goodly sniff of it--for the first--when it will have most effect.

DOOOOG

[Chooco]

i think punishment is more of a deturet that reward

i actually KNOW that if i worked my @$$ off and learned how to do stuff i could make my own Reseller Ratings or Amazon.com (which is just starting to make money). heck i could have made any program in the world if i just tried hard enough but i didn't. i know the reward is great but i didn't.

now ask yourself this, what is the only reason that you have not stabbed somebody who pissed you off? it probably has less to do with morals than you think and more to do with not wanting to go to jail. if you look at some Asian countries like Thailand where you get beaten for crimes, the rate of crime of lower because criminals simply don't want to get their @$$es kicked by the police.

[Warthog]

I guess it's a personal thing. I wouldn't stab someone out of morals. BUT I wouldn't (or would try not to) speed a tremendous amount because I might get a $200-300 ticket.

Criminals typically think they can stab someone and actually get away. The really stupid ones only act in a fit of rage and then think of teh consequences.

Discussing the criminal psyche would be quite the long thread.

[MegalosSkylaki]

"Discussing the criminal psyche would be quite the long thead"--Warthog

NAH !WARTO,
No way.

We find a Member who has a "criminal psyche" and discuss that Member. Errr...pick a Member who'se only been here for 3 days

Umm, I can't pick myself because it would sound too vainglorious.

Your pretty humble, aren't you [CENSORED] ?

DOO[CENSRED]OOG