The politicians benefit. As the crime rate goes up the politicians get more of a mandate from the people to pass more laws, levy more taxes, and spend more money. The passage of a new law is equated as being “tough on crime” come election time, regardless of if a new has any effect on crime at all.
Here is a prime example:
…Democratic leaders said they will continue to build on a foundation of strong sex-crime policies, including involuntary civil commitments and tough criminal sentences.
…Lawmakers also pledged to put money behind their demands for increased police emphasis on sex offenders — something that hasn’t always been done in the past.
…The largest piece of sex-offender spending discussed Thursday is Gregoire’s request for a $5 million grant program to pay police to conduct in-person visits with sex offenders. Low-risk offenders would get annual checkups under the plan, with the highest-risk sex criminals being seen four times a year.
Instead of a jury trial for a crime, sex offenses can be reclassified as mental illness and the involentary civil commitment process can be used. Additionally I am not sure what an annual (or quarterly) police visit to a registered sex offenders home is going to do to prevent further offenses, but Washington state was considering spending $5 million on it.
If we look at the “war on drugs” we see a massive expansion of government control, imprisonment, asset forfeiture, and government spending. I do not know any other crimes where if convicted the government can seize your home, car, and financial assets and you are forced to sue to get them back.
The question is do any of these laws and policies make the citizens safer? No rational citizen wants sex offenders or drug dealers walking the streets, but if we allow the expansion of government control and continue to hand them a blank check to “do something” we rarely get what we were hoping for.
My prediction for the next round of gun control is that the crime rate will go up because of citizen disarmament and the cycle will continue. We know this is a failed policy. Look across the Atlantic you can see where this expansion of state power will ultimately lead.
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