"Darryl L. Pierce" wrote:

> Do you think putting them into jail causes *less* of a financial burden?
> Jail incurs a *greater* burden on *everyone* since taxpayers are now forced
> to pay a form of child-support to the state for prisoners.

Their crimes also cost the tax payers a lot of money. When people profit
through illegal stock deals the money comes from the other shareholders, most of
whom are taxpayers. Knowing that they risk jail time will/should deter them
from their illegal activities.


> That's because you're not looking at the situation from a realistic
> perspective. No matter your income, if you lose 90% of it you life *will*
> drastically change. Even Bill Gates's life would be completely different if
> he lost 90% of his income.

The last I heard, Bill Gates was worth $30.7 Billion. Fining him 90% of his
worth would whittle him down to a mere $3.7 Billion. While I appreciate that it
would have a significant effect on the guy, that still leaves him with more
money than any of us can dream of. Sorry, but as big a financial hit as that it,
it still leaves the guy filthy rich. I would prefer to see him do time.


>
> > You can rob banks and not be armed. So as long as I give some of the
> > money bak I'm off the hook?
>
> I've already said a few times that the penalty is not commensurate with the
> amount you illegally gained, and it was obvious you understood that by your
> statement above about losing a portion of income. Why do you now attempt
> argumentum ad ridiculum with "giv[ing] some of the money bak(sic)"? What
> makes you think you can keep *any* of it? What makes you think that the
> fine to be paid for a non-violent crime is going to be any *less* than the
> amount you stole?

You keep forgetting the concept of general deterrence. It may be too late for
the person who gets caught, but it does keep other people in line. Fear of
consequences keeps a lot of people in the straight and narrow.


> Right. Jailing someone for non-violent crime is no less barbaric than
> flogging them or putting them into stocks in public. It serves no purpose,
> no net benefit.

Jail is barbaric? Screwing people out of their life savings IMO is barbaric.