Taken Right Out of My Driveway...

There’s a prominent theory that the harshness of punishment does not actually reduce crime, in fact it can increase the chances of recidivism. Folks who support this theory believe that crime is so low in Singapore because the certainty of being caught is very high. The police force is very well funded, very professional, very efficient, and the level of surveillance in the country is high. There is also a cultural trust of law enforcement due to its transparency and integrity in that country.

As the theory goes, these things matter more than harshness of punishment. The certainty of being caught matters more than the seriousness of the punishment.

 

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...^^^... I have worked and lived all over SEAsia (am married to a Thai) and I can tell you the thoughts of the locals.

The idea of being punished on the town square (especially caning) is a giant deterrent for most of them.

Do you remember the American kid who was caned in Singapore in mid-1990's? He stole road signs and vandalized many cars and was caught.

He begged and pleaded not be caned (US government tried to get him off too) Singapore reduced his penalty to a few months in jail, but they still popped his butt 6 times ... and he said ... "I will never, ever do that again" ... on local Asian and US TV stations.

I can't tell you the stats on recidivism in Singapore .... but I can tell you it scares the sh*t out of the people there to get caned and embarrassed on the public square.

FWIW ... Don't deal drugs there either ... they will kill you dead ... and that recidivism rate is zero.
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US punishment is a joke. People are caught then cut loose in hours.

I have no idea what the answer is.

 

I do remember that kid, it was the first time I ever became aware of the legal system in Singapore.

It’s just a theory, I’d really have to see a study that compares a bunch of different systems. It does remind me of capital punishment discussions, some argue it doesn’t actually reduce the rate of capital crimes. I don’t have an opinion, but there’s basic logic to it.

I was interested in the idea that maybe Singapore is so wealthy that there’s less motivation to commit crime (and more law enforcement funding) and they are high up on the list in per capita median income. However, they have something like top five income inequality and some serious poverty. So there goes that.

The reliance on surveillance is pretty interesting. Like Great Britain, they have cameras absolutely everywhere. Everything is always a trade off…

 

In my county in Georgia they wont even make prisoners pick up trash anymore because its "degrading".

recidivism rate is around 70% for the US

 

Yup I remember that well.

I think your second sentence about the public nature of the punishment is right on. Remember long ago here, the days of the stocks and scarlet letters? Nuff said

 

...^^^... I think you are spot on with some of your thoughts. Singapore is a very rich area but many "outsiders" are starting to live there now.

It will be interesting to see how they deal with these things in the future ... but I seriously doubt they will eliminate caning.

Law enforcement (in all forms) is not respected like it was when I was a kid, and that is very sad to me.

 

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...^^^... Yep, I used to live in North ATL and moved up the road to Buford ... I know what you are saying.

 

they arent respected because there is ample video evidence showing all of the disgusting shit they get away with

also their desperation for staff and poor funding means that they will accept anyone who applies these days, which usually ends up being the tiny dick bullies who peaked in high school.

 

what ever happened to the adage if you do the crime be prepared to do the time . Not in today's world !

 

Until one walks in the shoes of any L.E.O. it's hard to understand what they deal with on a daily basis from the general public.

 

Battery powered wireless motion doorbell chime. I put one on my dirtbike trailer when the bikes are loaded up. Anyone comes within 30ft and it wakes me up WITHOUT alerting them. I have a handheld device for alerting them.

 

Must be...

 

I am definitely getting an alarm system after reading this, one that will wake up the whole culdesac if someone touches my truck with their pinky finger...

Most of my neighbors have guns too!

I know that we live in a civilized society, but just over a century ago, horse theft was punishable by death; If a vehicle owner gives some lowlife a well-deserved beating for trying to steal their vehicle, then they go to jail! What's wrong with this picture?

 

Remember the trunk monkey?

 

https://youtu.be/WFqr3_frh3Q

 

A handheld device that goes "bang"?

 

There was a recent video where someone broke into a truck and the owner rigged some sort of flash bomb. It probably roasted his interior but l bet that thief will have 2nd thoughts about stealing cars in the future.

 

I'm guessing that the truck was a gussied-up shitbox...