4 ms·

Prosecutors decide whether to charge. Cops quickly learn that arresting people that will not be charged is a waste of their time. Seattle has a similar policy.

• dv_dt 8y ago
  Ok this still seems like a problem with enforcement and not with the law. We should not need increased sentences simply to get police protection from nuisance behavior. Undue inflation of consequences for smaller crimes has many negative side effects for our society - including increased cost of incarceration and long-term negative productivity of citizens. This is why these crimes were reduced in their sentencing - it seems like enforcement needs to catch up on a new balance.
• vkou 8y ago
  If the police really wanted to deal with property crime, they'd go after the pawn shops and the fences, and the scrappers buying stolen copper. No, that wouldn't stop people stealing things for their own use, but it would hit the professional thieves hard.
  • wahern 8y ago
    A robbery ring was recently broken where their M.O. was to ship stolen laptops off to Vietnam. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Fremont-Detectives-Bust-International-Theft-Ring-With-Millions-in-Stolen-Electronics-472047833.html Perhaps local fences still matter a great deal, but it seems like they're becoming increasingly less important.
• michaelmrose 8y ago
  I don't think Seattle has any such policy. Can you back this up?