We often have trouble deciding what to do about victimless crimes, Many countries they are illegal. But is that justified?
What is a Victimless Crime?
"A victimless crime is an offense that is consensual and lacks a complaining participant."
What are some examples of Victimless Crimes?
Drug Use
Obviously, The user and the seller are unlikely to report. It's a somewhat private transaction. Even though the drugs themselves can be harmful, The user has chosen them. The effects cause them to neglect themselves physically.
- Drugs are expensive! The government loses money on all those transactions.
- The way a person acts on drugs can negatively affect other people.
But minimally. Are drugs something we should criminalize? What if the person didn't leave their home while using? If they paid their bills as they are supposed to, and paid taxes on the drugs they are using. It really wouldn't hurt anyone, Even minimally.
Gambling
Not all gambling is illegal. But some is. Illegal gambling costs money because those funds could go somewhere else.
Impulse and addiction gambling can also have it's consequences.
- Family stress
- Alcohol & drug use
- Health and Emotional Problems
- Family stress
- Absence from work
- Employee theft. Confidence games, Larceny, Burglary.
And anything else necessary to acquire the funds to use on extra gambling.
Do we have a right to tell people if they can gamble?
I live in Utah... Guess what? We don't' have any casinos, We aren't allowed to have certain kinds of alcohol. Heck, Go to the gas station, and all we have is weak beer.
Because of the power of the LDS church, We are not allowed to have these things. I feel like a child, Not because I want to spend all day drinking and gambling, But because I don't even get that choice. It's unfair. This just shows that victimless crimes can be complicated. Do we make them illegal? Do we regulate them? Or do we let adults make their decisions?
Prostitution
These transactions are consensual. Sometimes people can be robbed by the prostitutes or pimp. And some prostitutes are beaten by customers.
- This can hurt the economy Because the police could get involved. Using citizens tax dollars.
What should we do about prostitution? In The U.S. it's illegal. But some countries it's legal.
Sometimes regulation even eliminate the problems listed above.
Summary!
Conventional crime, White collar crime, Organized crime & Victimless crimes have enormous financial, Physical and social costs. If you think about every aspect of the crime committed, Usually quite a few people are hurt as a result. That is why each country needs to be careful on what is allowed and what isn't. To ensure conservation of resources and safety of the public.
Nice overview, Lyn...
Personally, I consider the term "Victimless Crime" to be an oxymoron... If there is no victim, no crime has been committed.
One of the best and most comprehensive books on this topic is Peter McWilliam's "Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do"
complete agreement, no victim no crime.
Thank you! That sounds like a great book hehe.
Hello, I live in Venezuela and there are laws that criminalize crimes without a victim. But even though Venezuelans pass from the laws and fail them, this is increasing thanks to authorities who take advantage of people by charging money not to get them prey. (If there is corruption at all levels).
I have no answers to your questions, but like you I have doubts about it that have formed me own ideas of how to "overcome" the problem.
Well, those are my three ideas, radicals? I do not know, what I know is that it seems to me right.
Greetings.
I Love your views on it! And I completely agree.
I wish they did it like that. Having some regulation and protection will allow people to do what they want in life, But safely.
Interesting piece. And Utah looks like a beautiful place, but it seems like a place where I wouldn't be happy with the choice of alcohol. What types of alcohol are prohibited? Upvoted and followed you. :)
Thank you very much! eheh
Utah is beautiful. But I'm not very happy here either. I hope to move soon.
In Utah we can't really have the strong stuff in convenience stores.
Utah law sets a limit of 3.2 percent alcohol by weight (4 percent by volume) in beer sold at grocery and convenience stores and at establishments.
Anything a bit stronger, is forced to be in designated alcohol stores, which are hard to find throughout the state. Our alcohol stores also have a really lousy selection. Whenever I go out of state, There are so many more flavors and kinds. It sucks.
It's also illegal for us to pick up alcohol and bring it into Utah. ( I do this sometimes). We also cannot participate in any online services that ship wine or alcohol.
So it really makes me feel like I'm being treated like a child.
I live in Ontario, Canada. We have Government run Liquor and Beer Stores and beer is only now being allowed to be sold in grocery stores, but it's mostly crap. Plus, our alcohol is expensive because it is taxed heavily, but I can drink what I want and take it where I want. Thank you for the informative response. :)
Aww man!! I wish they'd lower taxes a little bit!
I'm with you!
The drunk driving one has always bothered me. Yes, people get hurt and even killed due to drunk drivers... but it seems more and more people are losing their right to travel and sometimes even their jobs because they had a drink or two with their meal.
If they truly don't want us to drink and drive, why allow for a small amount of alcohol in the system be tolerated. When I was young, I lost my license for three months. I wasn't drunk, but I did have a beer. It didn't matter how much I had or the circumstances that led up to that drink. I was treated the same as someone who had just left the bar after drinking steady for five hours.
These days, I don't drink. I've witnessed friends lose their jobs though. I know them well. They are not impaired after a few drinks, they are stupid for driving through a check stop after a few drinks, which was the only reason they had problems. They didn't speed and swerve and endanger lives on the way to the check stop.
This preventative BS is just that. If there is a victim due to drinking and driving, then call it murder and be done with it.
I agree drunk driving bothers me too! I was involved in a hit and run on my bicycle. I don't know if the driver was drunk. But I'm assuming they were, To hit me like that and flee.
They definitely need to change the laws on that.
If there is no victim
there is no crime.
there should be no punishment.
Agreed :)