Dreaded_Anomaly comments on Crime and punishment - Less Wrong

39 Post author: PhilGoetz 24 March 2011 09:53PM

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Comment author: TobyBartels 25 March 2011 12:17:39AM *  4 points [-]

You might expect that Snead goes on to explain why these laws are bad things.  But he doesn't! He assumes we can all see that these are obviously bad things.

Well, I can see that these are bad things, but what I can't see is what they have to do with outcome-based justice. These all exist because of political decisions, not impassioned consideration of their likely effects.

Comment author: Dreaded_Anomaly 25 March 2011 02:53:03AM *  2 points [-]

Yes, exactly. Those laws are claimed to deter crime, but really, they're the result of politicians wanting to appear to be "tough on crime." The appearance matters more than the result.