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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cosmicforce who wrote (3636)	1/27/2001 1:37:23 PM
From: E	Respond to of 82486

You couldn't, of course, in the case of individuals. You only have statistics to go on. Of course that's how we decide what medicines are worth using and which ones have too many unacceptable side effects to be offered.... I believe there is a statistical correlation between certain social programs, or number of cops on the street, and a drop in crime. If the money saved on applying the costly death penalty (unfairly!) were applied to reducing crime, that might be reasonably called a deterrent program. (I know the money wouldn't, in the real world, be earmarked for that use, since politicians don't get the out of actual crime-deterrence what they do out of whipping up people's hate and fear and desire for scapegoats and labeling themselves Tough On Crime. While producing nothing for their constituency.)