>I.e., in some countries where you're convicted and your life is taken (or your hand cut off, etc.) almost immediately after a crime is committed, there is probably a very serious punishment/deterrent factor. Especially those countries that use public punishments...(okay, I know we're getting a little gross now, but you get the idea).


The penalty for dealing drugs in this country is very often death, and I'm not talking about the legal system. I'm referring to the frequent turf battles between groups that sell drugs in the inner-city and the high likelyhood of dying that young dealers must face. Immediate death by a hail of bullets.

It doesn't stop them. They deal drugs anyway.

If we want to lower the rate of murder and crime in this country, a good first step would be to end the war of drugs. By any measure (other than providing work for drug dealers and narcotics agents) this drug war is a total failure.

Peter