Mr Stabby

[rainman]

I have recently travelled thru Africa (Angola) - I gave away US$100 in $10 notes - you'll get stabbed/killed for your wallet if you don't hand some quick cash over - yes 10 muggings in 2 weeks

Yes, some cultures are more violent than others (perhaps not only the ones you would assume), and Africa is full of poor people. I wonder why?

[Bald Eagle]

In some cases I am in full favour of death by hanging. It's lean, it's green and you can even reuse the rope.

A green solution, love it.

[Forest]

I won't, but when you are bought up in a culture of cutting people's hands, genitals and heads off, a lazy stabbing for a cab fare may not faze you quite as much.

I have recently travelled thru Africa (Angola) - I gave away US$100 in $10 notes - you'll get stabbed/killed for your wallet if you don't hand some quick cash over - yes 10 muggings in 2 weeks

My cultrual heritage is European.

The nations that make up my cultural heritage went through a orgy of violence in the last century that resulted in two World Wars, numerous regional conflicts, and many tens of millions dead and maimed.

Quite frankly, I'm struggling to see your point.

[slofox]

On the face of it a very sensible suggestion, but for a few questions: who pays the going rate (surely not the state), and has to deal with managing the prick, and what do you do with the honest labourers whose market you disrupt? It's not like we're drowning in jobs. And why would hard labour + incarceration be any cheaper for the taxpayer than just plain locking the baastid up for a very long time?

You make valid points, rainman. Howsumever...

My point is that he should be made responsible for the disruption he has caused that familty - the outcomes of his actions should be delivered to his door. He should have to deal with the consequences of his actions. In this case, he has removed the income of a family. Let him provide that income. MAKE him provide it. And no, it won't be cheaper but at least the welfare payments to that family might be lowered a little.

As for taking jobs, whether he is in jail or not, whether he has a job of his own or not, he will be kept somehow and will therefore cost us money. At least this way, he might produce something useful. He will be supervised anyway, working or not, and he will use up money working or not. Make him earn at least some of it. I'd rather my taxes got even a minimal return than no return at all, which is what happens if he is just kept in a cage.

Besides, we could always re-employ anybody whose job he displaces as whip appliers...

[cs363]

This is precisely the sort of mindless, violent crime that the death sentence is perfect for.
When and if they catch this guy, I imagine they will have irrefutable DNA evidence and possibly fingerprints too now that they appear to have recovered the murder weapon. They also have witnesses who have given descriptions, so I can't see that there would be any doubt as to the perpetrator.
Any other option will just incur a huge cost to society that this piece of filth just isn't worth IMHO.

[rainman]

You make valid points, rainman. Howsumever...

My point is that he should be made responsible for the disruption he has caused that familty - the outcomes of his actions should be delivered to his door.

Methinks we agree on the desired outcomes. It's just tricky to design the perfect, most cost-effective policy to deliver them.

[cs363]

Methinks we agree on the desired outcomes. It's just tricky to design the perfect, most cost-effective policy to deliver them.

Whilst the humanist in me agrees with your line of thought, the realist within makes me think that one who has stooped so low as to kill for a $20 taxi fare is most likely irredeemable.
Maybe I'm just getting sick and tired of seeing this sort of crap in the news every week.