4 ms·

I suppose that there is an incentive for each of the bad actors in this scenario. What do the informant and the prosecutor get out of a successful conviction? M

I suppose that there is an incentive for each of the bad actors in this scenario. What do the informant and the prosecutor get out of a successful conviction? Money? Reputation?

lazyjones 13y ago
The prosecutor at least gets reputation for convictions. The informant might get some pocket money in the process. Both might get additional "motivation" from corporations running privatized prisons ...
- smtddr 13y ago
  >>privatized prisons The fact that these even exist is disgusting. What are the board-meetings like in this kind of company? "Okay guys, last quarter had a decrease in people put in jail. We need to increase our profits this coming quarter so what can we do to put more people in jail? Also, there's talk about losing our cash-cow. Weed might be legalized. We can't have that." I wish someone could "accidentally" leak the discussions that go on with execs in charge of those places.
  - swombat 13y ago
    > "Okay guys, last quarter had a decrease in people put in jail. We need to increase our profits this coming quarter so what can we do to put more people in jail? Also, there's talk about losing our cash-cow. Weed might be legalized. We can't have that." Sounds about right...
  - rmc 13y ago
    Lest you think that they are the source of the problems, but prison officer unions are also in favour of more crimes & longer sentences for similar selfish reasons.
maaaats 13y ago
The informant may be a person with charges, and helping the police with a bigger bust may lessen his punishment.
aric 13y ago
Informants often face trumped-up charges. Often without basic legal guidance, many of them become fully intimidated by authority (police, FBI...). Become an informant or face an exorbitant amount of your life trapped in our cage. OK? Good. You'll be wearing this wire. This pressure often results in people being intimidated to the point of risking their lives merely so forces can pursue "higher-ups" in a chain. In an abysmal, draconian, dangerous game that is a state's drug war, I needn't mention how risky being a "rat" could be. Many of the informants/victims are naive. They do not know their potential rights or seem to have no better alternatives. It's tragic.[1] There are other types of informants, obviously. I'm not referring to informants who act upon true desire and commitment to "truth" and not threats. I don't know the motives of the guy in the article. Many convicted people or people facing charges need no other motive to fuck over others, lie, or help authority other than the chance of getting a candy bar, a day of sunny adventure, or watching the world burn. [1] Countless stories like this roll on over the years. I can't remember, but This American Life might've had a segment about the twisted process of churning out the enslaved helpers they call informants. Example: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/get-busted-for-marijuana-_b_1199896.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/get-busted-for-mar...

I suppose that there is an incentive for each of the bad actors in this scenario. What do the informant and the prosecutor get out of a successful conviction? Money? Reputation?

lazyjones 13y ago

The prosecutor at least gets reputation for convictions. The informant might get some pocket money in the process. Both might get additional "motivation" from corporations running privatized prisons ...

smtddr 13y ago
>>privatized prisons The fact that these even exist is disgusting. What are the board-meetings like in this kind of company? "Okay guys, last quarter had a decrease in people put in jail. We need to increase our profits this coming quarter so what can we do to put more people in jail? Also, there's talk about losing our cash-cow. Weed might be legalized. We can't have that." I wish someone could "accidentally" leak the discussions that go on with execs in charge of those places.
- swombat 13y ago
  > "Okay guys, last quarter had a decrease in people put in jail. We need to increase our profits this coming quarter so what can we do to put more people in jail? Also, there's talk about losing our cash-cow. Weed might be legalized. We can't have that." Sounds about right...
- rmc 13y ago
  Lest you think that they are the source of the problems, but prison officer unions are also in favour of more crimes & longer sentences for similar selfish reasons.

maaaats 13y ago

The informant may be a person with charges, and helping the police with a bigger bust may lessen his punishment.

aric 13y ago

Informants often face trumped-up charges. Often without basic legal guidance, many of them become fully intimidated by authority (police, FBI...). Become an informant or face an exorbitant amount of your life trapped in our cage. OK? Good. You'll be wearing this wire. This pressure often results in people being intimidated to the point of risking their lives merely so forces can pursue "higher-ups" in a chain. In an abysmal, draconian, dangerous game that is a state's drug war, I needn't mention how risky being a "rat" could be. Many of the informants/victims are naive. They do not know their potential rights or seem to have no better alternatives. It's tragic.[1] There are other types of informants, obviously. I'm not referring to informants who act upon true desire and commitment to "truth" and not threats. I don't know the motives of the guy in the article. Many convicted people or people facing charges need no other motive to fuck over others, lie, or help authority other than the chance of getting a candy bar, a day of sunny adventure, or watching the world burn. [1] Countless stories like this roll on over the years. I can't remember, but This American Life might've had a segment about the twisted process of churning out the enslaved helpers they call informants. Example: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/get-busted-for-marijuana-_b_1199896.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tony-newman/get-busted-for-mar...