Do laws prevent criminals from committing crimes? Or do laws only create criminals?

Question

Of course laws create criminals!!! If there is no law there is no crime.

If laws are not a political issue then what is?

Answer 1

No, laws do not prevent criminals from committing crimes.

The true purpose of law is to punish criminal behavior.

It is not the purpose of law to create criminals, although in many instances it does that. Theft and murder are not crimes because they are against the law; they are crimes simply because they are wrong as judged by ethical and moral principles.



"Alcohol didn't cause the high crime rates of the '20s and '30s, Prohibition did. And drugs do not cause today's alarming crime rates, but drug prohibition does."

"Trying to wage war on 23 million Americans who are obviously very committed to certain recreational activities is not going to be any more successful than Prohibition was."

US District Judge James C. Paine, addressing the Federal Bar Association in Miami, November, 1991

"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this."

Albert Einstein, "My First Impression of the U.S.A.", 1921

"If the jury feels the law is unjust, we recognize the undisputed power of the jury to acquit, even if its verdict is contrary to the law as given by a judge, and contrary to the evidence ... and the courts must abide by that decision."

US v Moylan, 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1969


"Virtually all reasonable laws are obeyed, not because they are the law, but because reasonable people would do that anyway. If you obey a law simply because it is the law, that's a pretty likely sign that it shouldn't be a law."

Source Unknown

"The care of every man's soul belongs to himself. But what if he neglect the care of it? Well what if he neglect the care of his health or his estate, which would more nearly relate to the state. Will the magistrate make a law that he not be poor or sick? Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves. God himself will not save men against their wills."

Thomas Jefferson

Answer 2

I don't think laws prevent a criminal act in most instances. However, the laws are needed for justice.

A criminal knows it is not right to murder. And, laws do not create murderers. The law allows us to apprehend the criminal and hopefully justice will be served for the victim and the family. Many times, like in murder, of course nothing can truly bring justice.

However, Justice, especially today with advanced forensics, and data secured from a crime scene, does enable us, maybe to thwart more criminal activity. At least I would like to think so.

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Answer 3

No
No

Ink on paper doesn't do either.

In only had any kind of effect if enforced.

There are tons of gun laws and it doesn't do a thing to stop gun crimes.
Like a Colubine how many laws did those two violated on their killing spree?
Now does anyone seriously think if there was 1 more law on the books those two would have said, "Well we better stop because it is against the new and now we are scared."

Only we you start enforcing the law to create the criminals.

If we do more enforcement what is on the books and enforcement of morals at home will crime make a turn.

Tell than these will go on and law makers will make pretty speeches, parent will weap and wonder why, and killing will go on.

Answer 4

No, the government should not break the law, bend the law, or create new convenient law/statute derived from legislation that gives them freedom to otherwise violate the constitution/bill of rights. Unfortunately, that is what we are immersed in. Corruption from top to bottom. Law enforcement that now has a set of laws that is legal only because the powers that be ratified it into law,.. that can be picked apart as 'illegal' by anyone with reasonable intelligence. Further, government and agents of the government (LE) have the cards stacked in their favor and STILL have to break laws that are still on the books to prosecute our citizens. It has long been out of hand. The balance of power is way, way out of balance. You are speaking more on the federal level, but I'm speaking on the everyday local level we all are immersed in. We are *not* a free country.. we are a prohibited people with a 'few' rights that we often have ignored and must spend thousands in courts (if one can afford it) to have these rights be respected AFTER the fact of violation. Justice Brandies made quite an eloquent statement. "Breeds contempt for law" -- this is very true. We as a whole shouldn't have such contempt for our law enforcement, and any other 'agent' who's job is to protect our country and people -- we shouldn't have contempt for failed government, and government that sits on it's own ideological island, out of touch with the majority of it's people and not serving the interests of it's people but rather the interests of the *few* (the house/senate/executive branch) elected officials. As for actionist -- I don't like our system of imprisonment without even a vague attempt at rehabilitating those with crimes that will allow them BACK into society -- but be that as it may I really always am baffled when I see people whimsically compare Murderer's to Drug anythings.. A crime of the highest degree of violence (death) to a person selling a substance we have deemed illegal (which may be legal in the future) -- executed? Really? I'm not a big FAN of drug dealers, but we wouldn't have them if we weren't bullishly and foolishly continuing our War on Drugs that is on year number 42 of failure (statistically/factually). I digress.. It will take the people to wake up and get informed for this country to really change -- and I just don't think enough people care, research the facts, or even understand what is and has been going on in our country. I truly believe a majority (at least half) of our voting population picks on nothing more than popularity, which is incredibly unfortunate. Further we rarely have one GOOD solid choice for elections, much less 2 -- and why is it only 2 candidates, why can't we make some regulations/provisions that gives other candidates real chances that don't rely solely on billion dollar campaigns to 'buy' votes so America is better served with 4-5 or 6 candidates to choose from? Lots to think about.. take care,

Answer 5

Being that congress create laws I think that makes laws a political issue. Criminal isn't it?
Then again, there's a few things I'd like to do if they were not illegal. Though my ethics would probably take over stopping me.

Answer 6

laws don't prevent criminals from committing crimes or create criminals.

laws merely let people know what is/is not legal and what the consequences of their actions will be.

Answer 7

How is this a political question?

Laws do neither of the things you suggest. Laws are in place so there is a system of rules and punishments for those who break them.

Answer 8

Laws that are not tough enough allow criminals to repeat crimes and committ worse crimes.

Answer 9

Neither. Laws prevent law abiding people from committing crimes.

Answer 10

Your question is illogical. Criminals don't become criminals until they commit crimes. But without laws, murder would be perfectly legal.