4 ms·

I think that we should crack down on walmart and other large companies who service poor people, blacks, and other population groups that disproportionately comm

I think that we should crack down on walmart and other large companies who service poor people, blacks, and other population groups that disproportionately commit crime. We should force walmart to behave more like target, catering towards higher income people, with higher prices and better service. And if poor people need to pay higher prices at a non-centralized location, that's the breaks. Similarly, walmart should be prevented from doing things like allowing the homeless to camp in the parking lots. Target is the pioneer here - they force the homeless to illegally park on the streets where the cops can harass them until they leave town. In short, rather than having all the crime in one spot, we can spread it around the community! This won't help things, but at least we won't have a single unsympathetic scapegoat to blame. (Also blame walmart when it does try and stop crime and the inevitable results occur, namely criminals being hurt/killed as part of the law enforcement process.) I can't think of a better illustration of the Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics than this article. Poor people steal and hurt people but we can't blame them. Walmart is nearby so blame Walmart! https://blog.jaibot.com/the-copenhagen-interpretation-of-ethics/ https://blog.jaibot.com/the-copenhagen-interpretation-of-eth...

tomp 10y ago
I like this comment, but it's a bit hard to tell where the sarcasm stops...
- bluehazed 10y ago
  Judging by this person's comment history, it doesn't start.
  - tomp 10y ago
    I generally like and often agree with yummifajita's comments.
maxerickson 10y ago
Yes, it's obviously a binary issue and there is no possibility whatsoever that Walmart could do things to prevent crime that have a lower net cost for society than calling the police.
- yummyfajitas 10y ago
  What exactly should walmart do? Run a private police force that inevitably harms criminals during the law enforcement process? (The article criticizes them for doing this.) Maybe walmart can run it's own on-site jail that way the cops only need to come once/day? I'm sure a private walmart run jail won't attract the same criticism, particularly when the inevitable bad things happen in it. Or maybe they can hire more security guards to follow around suspicious people in the store. I'm sure that will help stop the criticism, even if the demographics of suspicious people don't correspond to population demographics. From what I can tell, the problem isn't walmart but the people who shop there. But this is obviously a politically unacceptable conclusion, so walmart makes a convenient scapegoat. And they'll remain one no matter what they do.
  - maxerickson 10y ago
    Yes, the criminality is the problem. But say having someone present at an entrance for much of the day clearly cuts the number of shoplifting incidents. It's pretty reasonable for the police and town to push for that staffing if it is less costly than handling the displaced incidents.
  - Domenic_S 10y ago
    You know what Target does? They help out law enforcement and even have a top-rated crime lab: https://corporate.target.com/article/2012/02/an-unexpected-career-target-forensic-services-labo https://corporate.target.com/article/2012/02/an-unexpected-c... A friend of mine was a Target store manager. According to him, Target had a more symbiotic relationship with LE, vs Walmart which just seems to suck resources dry.
- marknutter 10y ago
  It is simply not Walmart's job to prevent crime. All businesses should be allowed to operate under the assumption that in return for their tax dollars crime prevention will be handled by the state.
  - maxerickson 10y ago

tomp 10y ago

I like this comment, but it's a bit hard to tell where the sarcasm stops...

bluehazed 10y ago
Judging by this person's comment history, it doesn't start.
- tomp 10y ago
  I generally like and often agree with yummifajita's comments.

maxerickson 10y ago

Yes, it's obviously a binary issue and there is no possibility whatsoever that Walmart could do things to prevent crime that have a lower net cost for society than calling the police.

yummyfajitas 10y ago
What exactly should walmart do? Run a private police force that inevitably harms criminals during the law enforcement process? (The article criticizes them for doing this.) Maybe walmart can run it's own on-site jail that way the cops only need to come once/day? I'm sure a private walmart run jail won't attract the same criticism, particularly when the inevitable bad things happen in it. Or maybe they can hire more security guards to follow around suspicious people in the store. I'm sure that will help stop the criticism, even if the demographics of suspicious people don't correspond to population demographics. From what I can tell, the problem isn't walmart but the people who shop there. But this is obviously a politically unacceptable conclusion, so walmart makes a convenient scapegoat. And they'll remain one no matter what they do.
- maxerickson 10y ago
  Yes, the criminality is the problem. But say having someone present at an entrance for much of the day clearly cuts the number of shoplifting incidents. It's pretty reasonable for the police and town to push for that staffing if it is less costly than handling the displaced incidents.
- Domenic_S 10y ago
  You know what Target does? They help out law enforcement and even have a top-rated crime lab: https://corporate.target.com/article/2012/02/an-unexpected-career-target-forensic-services-labo https://corporate.target.com/article/2012/02/an-unexpected-c... A friend of mine was a Target store manager. According to him, Target had a more symbiotic relationship with LE, vs Walmart which just seems to suck resources dry.
marknutter 10y ago
It is simply not Walmart's job to prevent crime. All businesses should be allowed to operate under the assumption that in return for their tax dollars crime prevention will be handled by the state.
- maxerickson 10y ago