Harsher Penalties for Shoplifters?

Question

Last night, I asked a question regarding your opinions about consumer rights to refuse search by the store. Shoplifting costs this nation $13 billion annually. I recognize the right for shopkeepers to limit shoplifting losses and see several methods to reducing shoplifting. One is to remove the incentive of shoplifting; however, as long as we live in a free nation with people who want what others have, there will always be an inventive to steal. Another possibility is removing the ability to shoplift. This could (unreasonably, but for an example) be accomplished by creating a physical barrier between the shopper and the merchandise. The third, and my favored punishment, is harsher penalties for shoplifters. In any case, even for 10 cent candy bars, jail time should be a distinct possibility. I can even go as far as making repeat offenses felonies (6 month prison terms per offense, perhaps). I’m tired of a few bad apples ruining my shopping experience by increasing prices.

Answer 1

Department stores used to keep their goods locked up behind the counter.

Then they discovered that placing the goods right in front of the customer increased the chance that he/she would buy them.

The resulting growth is sales more than offsets the losses from shoplifting.

Trust me, department stores have arleady factored shoplifting into their business models. Otherwise they wouldn't leave their goods lying around for anyone to grab. Also, the stuff that is easy to take is normally worthless junk sold with a high markup, so the loss to the store is minimal. Things like expensive watches are still kept behind the counter.

Harsher and harsher punishments for minor crimes is never a good idea. It devalues the punishment for serious crimes and makes society more dangerous. If the penalty for rape is 20 years and for stealing a TV 10 years, then you are sending the message to the criminal that rape isn't that much worse than stealing a TV.

Answer 2

Merchants used to keep their goods in a back room. Ever watched any older movie .....this costs the merchant more. The customer came in, talked with the store owner (clerk) and ordered his/her goods. The clerk brought them out and added up the total.
Merchants learned that placing the goods out in the store allowed the customer to see more goods than they could think of . Thus, sales went up from point-of-sale merchandise.
Why do you think stores place candy, magazines and other non-essentials next to the check-outs? Sales of these items went up after doing so.
Yes, prices go up from shoplifting. Prices also go down with bulk sales of certain items.
Our penal system is overloaded with murderers and other felons. And....you want to add to our tax costs by jailing some one that shoplifts a piece of candy?

There's also a danger with certain jail systems. I can remember a short story wherein the protagonist was sentenced to death for his ninth parking violation. The reasoning, technology had moved to where organ transplants were common without any rejection. Laws had then been passed forcing organ donation for all death penalty criminals.

Answer 3

You think shoplifting increases your costs?? Try incarcerating every petty criminal and watch your taxes skyrocket. The US already imprisons more of its population than any other industrialized nation. We can't hold those we WANT to incarcerate; letting people go to make room for more. We cannot build enough prisons to hold them. When are we going to learn that incarceration is not the answer?!?!!?