Strange7 comments on Open Thread: April 2010, Part 2 - Less Wrong

3 Post author: Unnamed 08 April 2010 03:09AM

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Comment author: Strange7 08 April 2010 07:36:21PM *  3 points [-]

Well you've just taken away law enforcement's entire bargaining position. Right now customers have to cooperate under threat of prosecution.

So most of them avoid law enforcement entirely for fear of getting 'v&' instead of providing tips out of concern for the welfare of the children. I mean, once you've cooperated, what's law enforcement's incentive not to prosecute you?

Justice is not necessarily best served by making the cop's job easier. So long as law enforcement is rewarded by the conviction, they'll go for low-hanging fruit: that is, the people who aren't protecting themselves because they think they're not doing anything wrong. Broad laws that anyone could violate unwittingly, and which the police enforce at their own discretion? That's not a necessary tool for some higher purpose, it's overwhelming power waiting to be abused.

Comment author: Jack 08 April 2010 08:17:11PM *  0 points [-]

So most of them avoid law enforcement entirely for fear of getting 'v&' instead of providing tips out of concern for the welfare of the children. I mean, once you've cooperated, what's law enforcement's incentive not to prosecute you?

You know what prosecutorial immunity is, right? Also, I don't know why you think pedophiles are itching to come forward with tips on their porn suppliers. If they were there are always ways to make anonymous tips to the police.

Justice is not necessarily best served by making the cop's job easier. So long as law enforcement is rewarded by the conviction, they'll go for low-hanging fruit: that is, the people who aren't protecting themselves because they think they're not doing anything wrong.

For the third time: make prosecuting the low-hanging fruit more difficult and lower the incentives to do so. That is my position. You don't have to handcuff law enforcement's investigation of the producers to do this.

Edit: One other way to do this that I haven't mentioned: legalize small possession of a small amount of child pornography or make small amounts a misdemeanor.