This is an interactive way to express your opinion outside of class for extra credit. You are more than welcome to debate in an apropriate fashion with each other.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Promoting the Public Good
"I"m not sure?"
Should citizens who witness a crime and fail to report it be held accountable? If you were a witness to a crime and you did not report it or provide event information to the authorities, you can go be cited or given prison time...It that promoting the public good?
Yes it is promoting public good because it lets the people know how important it is to the justice system that the person who did the crime be punished. Even if you are being threatned you should still tell but since i have never been put in that kind of situation others may have a different opinion. So, my final thought is failing to report the crime is worse than being cited or sent to prison because that crime could happen to someone you care about all because YOU didn't serve the public good.
I do not believe that the law should require people to report crimes that they witness. Our government is already over-criminalizing society, and this would just make the problem worse. Our jails are already packed, so sentencing prison time would be practically impossible. In addition to the impracticality of the proposition, I believe it is a violation of our 5th amendment right, which gives us the right to keep our mouths shut, or to "Plead the 5th". If failing to report a crime was a crime, a majority of the people would be lawbreakers, and therefore the law does not promote the public good.
If someone witnesses a crime and does not report it they should be punished because they are allowing that criminal to get away with actions that are affecting the public good. I think if you witnessed the crime, then basically you are apart of it because you saw what happened. Keeping quiet about a crime is not safe because you are allowing that person who commited the crime to continue there bad behavior by not giving authorities information to catch them. Promoting the public good is doing something that benefits everyone, so how is helping turn in a criminal not helping everyone? That is why this promotes the public good because your helping keep criminals off the streets and stop violence. Some may argue that people do not report crimes they see because they do not want to be threatened but there is many ways people can tell authorities privatley. Telling the authorities about the crime when threatned will only help protect you. Overall, i think being punished for not telling authorites information about a crime is a good thing because if everyone kept their mouth shut, criminals would continue to disrupt peace. So it is our job to tell authorities and do what is right for the public safety.
Personally i think it depends on the crime that is witnessed and the circumstances. Any violent crimes should be reported by a witness unless reporting the crime places the witness in a position of danger as well. We as citizens should help protect each other but also be conscious of our own safety. Nonviolent crimes should be the same as long as the witness isn't in danger for providing evidence of the crime. The only opposition to this, is that it really questions the importance of loyalty and privacy of personal rights. Is it really our duty to get involved with the law if we, the witness, hasn't done anything? Personally i think yes! it helps public good. Dylan Pecchenino
I think it kinda depends on the level of crime the person is not reporting. If someone sees a person smoking weed illegally, they aren't going to go call the cops on them...right? But, If I were to whiteness a "hit-n-run", I would call an ambulance, the cops and go see what i could go do for the person. So, i say the degree of the crime definately matters. If someone didn't report a homicide, that person would be an accomplice(i think), but if some one sees a person smoking an illegal substance, then how is that person an acomplice?
I don't believe that a person deserves to be punished if they witnesses a crime and kept quiet about it. If a person snitches and the victim finds out that person could be in more trouble then if they just kept quiet. People shouldn't be punished for a crime they had nothing to do with besides see it happen.
What if it was one of your familiy members involved in the crime and died? Wouldn't you want someone to speak up and tell who did it no matter the concequence? I think if you speak up and "snitch" you are helping both the family and the public good justice system. By standing aside being silent is just as bad as being apart of the crime. When a crime happens there must be justice.
yes i feel that they should be punished because they didnt stop the crime that was commited. On the other hand they shouldnt be held accountable for the criminals actions, they werent the one who commited the crime but they should have some kind of punishment. if they could have doen somthing to prevent it, they should have done it.
Yes it is promoting public good because it lets the people know how important it is to the justice system that the person who did the crime be punished. Even if you are being threatned you should still tell but since i have never been put in that kind of situation others may have a different opinion. So, my final thought is failing to report the crime is worse than being cited or sent to prison because that crime could happen to someone you care about all because YOU didn't serve the public good.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the law should require people to report crimes that they witness. Our government is already over-criminalizing society, and this would just make the problem worse. Our jails are already packed, so sentencing prison time would be practically impossible. In addition to the impracticality of the proposition, I believe it is a violation of our 5th amendment right, which gives us the right to keep our mouths shut, or to "Plead the 5th". If failing to report a crime was a crime, a majority of the people would be lawbreakers, and therefore the law does not promote the public good.
ReplyDeleteSam, what will happen if we give up on the honesty and commitment of our civilians? How I'll our society suffer?
ReplyDeleteIf someone witnesses a crime and does not report it they should be punished because they are allowing that criminal to get away with actions that are affecting the public good. I think if you witnessed the crime, then basically you are apart of it because you saw what happened. Keeping quiet about a crime is not safe because you are allowing that person who commited the crime to continue there bad behavior by not giving authorities information to catch them. Promoting the public good is doing something that benefits everyone, so how is helping turn in a criminal not helping everyone? That is why this promotes the public good because your helping keep criminals off the streets and stop violence. Some may argue that people do not report crimes they see because they do not want to be threatened but there is many ways people can tell authorities privatley. Telling the authorities about the crime when threatned will only help protect you. Overall, i think being punished for not telling authorites information about a crime is a good thing because if everyone kept their mouth shut, criminals would continue to disrupt peace. So it is our job to tell authorities and do what is right for the public safety.
ReplyDeletePersonally i think it depends on the crime that is witnessed and the circumstances. Any violent crimes should be reported by a witness unless reporting the crime places the witness in a position of danger as well. We as citizens should help protect each other but also be conscious of our own safety. Nonviolent crimes should be the same as long as the witness isn't in danger for providing evidence of the crime. The only opposition to this, is that it really questions the importance of loyalty and privacy of personal rights. Is it really our duty to get involved with the law if we, the witness, hasn't done anything? Personally i think yes! it helps public good.
ReplyDeleteDylan Pecchenino
I think it kinda depends on the level of crime the person is not reporting. If someone sees a person smoking weed illegally, they aren't going to go call the cops on them...right? But, If I were to whiteness a "hit-n-run", I would call an ambulance, the cops and go see what i could go do for the person. So, i say the degree of the crime definately matters. If someone didn't report a homicide, that person would be an accomplice(i think), but if some one sees a person smoking an illegal substance, then how is that person an acomplice?
ReplyDeleteHeriberto Herrera
I don't believe that a person deserves to be punished if they witnesses a crime and kept quiet about it. If a person snitches and the victim finds out that person could be in more trouble then if they just kept quiet. People shouldn't be punished for a crime they had nothing to do with besides see it happen.
ReplyDeleteWhat if it was one of your familiy members involved in the crime and died? Wouldn't you want someone to speak up and tell who did it no matter the concequence? I think if you speak up and "snitch" you are helping both the family and the public good justice system. By standing aside being silent is just as bad as being apart of the crime. When a crime happens there must be justice.
ReplyDeleteyes i feel that they should be punished because they didnt stop the crime that was commited. On the other hand they shouldnt be held accountable for the criminals actions, they werent the one who commited the crime but they should have some kind of punishment. if they could have doen somthing to prevent it, they should have done it.
ReplyDelete