on the bright side

An interesting effect of the social distancing fad is the reaction in what they like to call “The criminal justice system”. Prison and jail populations are being reduced coast to coast by various means. Courts are on holiday. Enforcers are advised to skip interacting with the public over burned out taillights and silly harassments they used to delight in.

Is this the Libertarian dream … the end of victimless crimes?
Victimless Crime Constitutes 86% of the Federal Prison Population

Did cannabis prohibition just end?

Is Constitutional Carry now the law of the land?

Locally, Ravalli County has nearly eliminated courts, arrests and incarceration.

Benjamin Franklin stated it as, “it is better [one hundred] guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer”

On the other hand, the top executive of Washington’s Aladdin Bail Bonds chain shared with us that the state’s catch and release program doesn’t care how violent or repetitive the criminals are – cut ’em all loose. She ordered her staff to collect recent release records and will report the dangerous trend to several regional news services.

“Philadelphia Police Commissioner has instructed the department to begin delaying arrests for a slew of low-level criminal offenses … crimes including theft, burglary, prostitution, stolen automobiles, vandalism, narcotics activity, and certain economic crimes will no longer automatically result in detention. Police will also temporarily stop enforcing bench warrants to individuals who fail to show up for court.”

As more and more metropolitan centers publish the lists of things that will not cause arrest or incarceration the bad actors see them as itemized categories of misbehaviors they can now pursue with abandon.

On the other hand, if you wanna get in serious trouble, New York’s plastic bag ban took effect Sunday.

Back to my Libertarian dream: The responsibility for your safety and security is moving back to where it should have been all along: It is on you … and your community … you do have one, don’t you?

While this California Dreaming law predates the current problem, it demonstrates the direction we are headed:

ROCKLIN (CBS/AP) — Perry Lutz says his struggle to survive as a small businessman became a lot harder after California voters reduced theft penalties 1 1/2 years ago.

Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor — and likely means the thieves face no pursuit and no punishment, say retailers and law enforcement officials. Large retailers including Safeway, Target, Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies say shoplifting increased at least 15 percent, and in some cases, doubled since voters approved Proposition 47 and ended the possibility of charging shoplifting as a felony with the potential for a prison sentence.

Either the criminals will eliminate the stores, or the shopkeepers will have to develop innovative strategies to remain in business serving the vast majority who do respect private property and appreciate the ability to shop in their neighborhoods.

This applies every bit as much to the security and safety of you and your family.

Ultimately, you are responsible.

Good news / Bad news:

🙂
Firearm and ammo sales are off the charts.
People are in a mad rush to prepare for their own defense.

🙁
Those rushing the stores today have no training, no experience, and assume guns work in the real world as Hollyweird has depicted them. Firearm accident spike here we come.