3 ms·
Instead of more surveillance and regulation how about we as a society work to ensure prosperity for everyone so there's no reason for anyone to want to scavenge
by Lammy 5y ago
Instead of more surveillance and regulation how about we as a society work to ensure prosperity for everyone so there's no reason for anyone to want to scavenge trace metals from car parts?
- Nasrudith 5y agoProsperity and insecure property ownership rights don't go together - see every third world shantytown where making something which could be a road out of pauperdom gets it seized or you extorted by local strongmen.
- jdlshore 5y agoThat’s a laudable goal, but the suggestion comes across as either naive or disingenuous. I assume that’s why you’re being downvoted. Sure, work to ensure prosperity. But don’t let that stop you from implementing faster, more tractable solutions.
- SyzygistSix 5y agoIt isn't naive when practically every other Western country has far less homeless drug addicts and people in desperate poverty than the US. Unless I am naive and the incentives to commit crimes like this do not come from poverty and the lack of opportunity. Cars in other countries have catalytic converters. Is this kind of crime as rampant there?
- twblalock 5y agoIt’s not like people are stealing catalytic converters because they can’t afford food. To a large extent this is organized crime. These are not thefts of desperation caused by poverty, and the thefts are not perpetrated by individuals stealing one or two catalytic converters at a time. There are crews of thieves stealing dozens of converters in a night and selling them in bulk to unscrupulous purchasers.