Poll: Law- useful or useless?

[Demon_Zeya]

I know that the law we create is for our own protection, but is it really doing anything? Murder, rapes, etc... It still goes on, no matter what we do about it. This is a subject that is not noticed by any school system because, obviously, it's just too serious for f*cking stupid-ass high schoolers to deal with. I plan to change that...

But, what do my fellow Escapist members have to say on the subject? And if anyone starts quoting Enlightenment philosophers, you're dead...

 

[NeutralDrow]

Yes.

 

[SharPhoe]

Yes.

/thread

Seriously, though, just because the law doesn't work ALL the time doesn't mean that it NEVER works. Don't let the exception speak for the majority, as they say.

 

[Agayek]

I believe that our laws do indeed serve to deter crime. I have no real proof of this, beyond having contemplated a couple minor infractions and deciding against it due to it being against the law.

That said, I don't like the law. I abhor anyone or anything that thinks they have the right to dictate how I'll live my life, and I would be ecstatic if the government was no longer necessary. Unfortunately, humanity being the collective assholes that we are, that will never happen.

 

[Seldon2639]

It depends on where on the balance between preventing crime and allowing people to function you're willing to land. Law could prevent all crime, but it would have to become so intrusive as to make life terrible. Rape could be stopped completely by having all men have to provide proof of consent from the woman after every sexual episode, but that would be far too onerous (since it would also require tracking when every man has sex).

If we were willing to submit to complete tracking of our daily lives, we could pretty easily eliminate all crime, but most people wouldn't sign up for that. Excluding the complete crazies, enough punishment will be able to prevent lawlessness. Repeal the 8th amendment, and I swear you'll see a lot fewer rapes.

 

[iJosh]

Sometimes. Only when the officials aren't stuffing their faces with greasy food and deserts.

 

[newguy77]

Let the law crumble and Anarchy replace it!

Seriously though, of course it's useful (my reasons are the same as everyone else's).

 

[jasoncyrus]

Right now, the law is pretty useless since those who commit crimes dont fear the current consequences, they treat them like a badge of honor.

This is why we should bring back the death penalty and start cutting bits off criminals without anesthetic. An agony fill amputation will scare 99% of the current criminal population.

 

[Skeleon]

Of course it's useful, don't make me murder you!

 

[Not Good]

It's useful but the law usually takes time. Then again sometimes it's the person that wants that time.

 

[electric_warrior]

yes of course it is, even if it isn't perfect what is? without it the fabric of everything would collapse, just look at cow towns in the american west in the 19th century, they were essentially lawless and there was chaos, murder and violence. law holds the world together and, although it can be abused, it is still a good thing to have.

 

[_Janny_]

It might not work 100%, but without it there would be complete chaos in the world... Hm, that doesn't sound that bad after all... Then we'd just need a charismatic and honest (emphasis on *honest*) leader to take the place.

 

[ZenMonkey47]

A bit of an oddly worded question. It's BECAUSE of law that there's crime. Obviously, if there were no laws there would be no crimes (just acts that piss people off enough to form a lynch mob)

But getting to the intent of your question, yes laws are a good thing. Granted they're not going to be a deterant 100% of the time for a myriad of reasons. But they beat the hell out of anarchy (though historically like most things it seems to go in a cycle)

 

[Zombie_Fish]

Depends which law you're referring to:

Murder, it could work.

Cannabis, it could work, however, Holland has much lighter laws on cannabis and the rate there is much lower as a result.

Protests, not even a crime but a law is still made anyway.

It's okay when targeting specific laws to look into whether they work or not, but law as a whole is too big and controversial a subject to look at specifically.

 

[Anachronism]

People may complain about the law, and specifically the enforcement of it, being ineffective, but do you have any idea what would happen if there was no law?

I'm guessing riots, looting, killing, and most people being too afraid to leave their houses.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Think of it this way:

Right now you'll get screwed over by the law if you kill someone, so most people won't do it.

If we didn't have that law, whenever someone got really pissed off then we'd have another death.

 

[Lord George]

Without Law you would have chaos and you would be killed/raped by someone stronger then you.So I'm in support of Law as its better to the alternative isn't it.

 

[Tech Team FTW!]

It is effective at stopping certain types of crime, so yes.
However, it falls down almost entirely when dealing with the root cause of crime and the rehabilitation of criminals.

 

[Sayvara]

Laws are like democracy: an imperfect system...

But all the currently known alternatives are worse.

/S

 

[Demon_Zeya]

Without Law you would have chaos and you would be killed/raped by someone stronger then you.So I'm in support of Law as its better to the alternative isn't it.

So it will happen freely. that doesn't even double the abount of rape or murder in the USA alone.
Just so you know: Every 7 minutes, there is a raping in the USA.