4 ms·
Is a fixed fine fair and equal treatment? The punishment is much more significant to someone poor than rich. Sure the dollar amount is equal but that is a very
by monkeybutton 4y ago
Is a fixed fine fair and equal treatment? The punishment is much more significant to someone poor than rich. Sure the dollar amount is equal but that is a very narrow view. The same arguments can be made about a flat tax vs. progressive tax systems?
- bko 4y agoIf your goal is deterrence you have to ask who's more likely to commit an offense. When you lump someone into a group and apply different levels of punishment based on their group, that's just wrong and evil. You think its fine because [group] is some group you may not like (rich people). But if you start treating people differently based on [group] you risk losing control of who is defining the group. The simplest and fairest way is to treat everyone equal in the eyes of the law. That's the ideal and when possible we should reach for that ideal
- monkeybutton 4y agoWhen the consequences for the same crime can vary from [entire paycheck] to [below rounding error on personal finances], the effect of treatment is not equal.
- bko 4y agoWhen people get different punishment for the same crime based on their group, then the effect of treatment is not equal
- monkeybutton 4y agoEveryone can pay the same percentage so it is equal.