Crime and Punishment

[Damini]

Having just spent an unsuccessful and thoroughly frustrating chunk of my day down the police station to report my brother's car being broken into and completely shafted because whoever did it was too inept to actually steal it (which would have been covered on the insurance) I wanted to ask you lot what you think to the following scenarios.

Put a percentage likelihood (in your opinion) of the following happening in each given scenario.

*a) The police find out who did the crime.

*b) They are charged with the crime.

*c) They are found guilty

*d) They recieve a custodial sentence.


And the situations are:

1) Car is broken into.

2) Car is stolen

3) You are violently mugged.

4) Your house is burgled (while you are out)

So, for example my answers would be

1a 4%
b 3%
c 2%
d 1%

2a 8%
b 5%
c 3%
d 2%

3a 20%
b 16 %
c 16%
d 5%

4a 7%
b 5%
c 4%
d 4%

Don't know why I thought of this, probably just the over whelming feeling of "Whats the fucking point" as we waited down the police station. When we finally got to see the receptionist, we were told to go to a little phone booth by the entrance and phone someone up on that to report the crime. They'll phone us back in about two days time... Mean time the car is completely immobile (with the doors and ignition screwed).

 

[GDW]

Id like to comment on this thread and the subject of police efficieny, or lack of it, but wont in case I get banned for speaking my mind.

 

[mank!]

I'd give 0% for all of them, tbh. They're useless.

 

[John Travolta]

1) Car is broken into.
a) 0 happened to me.
b) 0 They wont found out who so they wont be charged.
c) 0 Above applies
d) 0 Above applies
2) Car is stolen
a) 0 how when they dont even take prints,..
b) 0 They wont found out who so they wont be charged.
c) 0 Above applies
d) 0 Above applies
3) You are violently mugged.
a) 50 They probably know who it is before your even mugged.
b) 50 Prbably too young to be charged.
c) 50
d) 50 Proably too young for prison.
4) Your house is burgled (while you are out)
a) 0 how when they dont even take prints,..
b) 0 They wont found out who so they wont be charged.
c) 0 Above applies
d) 0 Above applies

Not that i am at all cynical about such matters.

 

[old.D0LLySh33p]

Police are useless

Always around when you don't want one, and always bleeding there when there's no point.

 

[Teh Krypt]

I think it took them two days to come and see to the burglry at my dads shop.... very quick indeed.

 

[Mellow-]

The police have never been good at stopping things. You've only just realised this?

 

[Damini]

No, I've realised it for a long time, it's just striking me that more and more the police are about documenting the occurence of crime rather than actually about punishment and prevention.

 

[GDW]

They are only copy cats of the NHS management, they've done that for years

 

[PR.]

I can't deny they are a bit useless, but its not like they don't want to catch the guilty.

They know that if they catch the person for example who did this car breakin, it would cost a fortune to get all the evidence together take him to court, oh yes he is guilty £200 fine and a bit of finger wagging, then he can go back out do it again maybe get caught again and another fine.

While you the victim feel hurt and stuff to the police its another car breakin to put with the other 10,000 car breakin cases.

We need:
* More police officers
* Less red-tape
* Stiffer prison sentences
* A bit more community self-help like the old neighbourhood watch

 

[Gumbo]

Speaking of this sort of thing, Brendan Fearon is back inside.....

 

[Dr_Weasel]

I agree with John Travolta. 0% on everything except the mugging, on which case they know who it is and cant do anything about it due to the age.

When I had my car nicked, they phoned me up 5 days later to say it had been found on the other side of the city.

The buggers couldnt even be arsed to shut the door properly though so the rain got in.

However, the only time the police ever have been usefull was when in my shared student house we had someone kick the front door in at night and kip downstairs (yes, we all slept through it.... )

My house mate was first downstairs and saw this sleeping dude on the floor. He hollered "Who the F*ck are you!" and then phoned the police reporting a burglary in progress.

In all fairness to them a van load of coppers and another car was at our house in minues (this was at about 8am) running into the house, brandishing truncheons. It was like a scene from The Bill's opening credits (dunno if they still have that scene, I havent seen it for about 10 years).

Over the years Ive had well over a dozen break-ins to my various cars, been mugged, had one car nicked, and the above mentioned door kickin-in dude. Only the last 2 have I ever reported.

So going by my experience, crime figures should be in the region of about 700% higher than the reported figures...