Is this fair or not?

missywinks

missywinks

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Here is an ethical question:

A rich man and a poor man commit the same type of crime. The rich man is fined $10,000 while the poor man is sent to jail for one year because he can't pay the fine. Is this fair? Why or why not? :hmm:
 
Firstly, life isnt fair in general.

Back to your question, not really because it is just a slap on the hand for the rich man while the poor man has to suffer in jail and deal with things that happen there.
 
It's unfair. Should be the same consequences for everyone. I'm more for the "eye for an eye"
 
interesting question!

the common view? "goddamn rich people can get away with anything as long as they have $$$$ and $$$$ lawyer"

the other perspective view? the rich person gets a slap on the wrist because there is a strong likelihood that he will not commit the crime again. why? because he is most likely a highly-visible person in his community and now that he's being shamed/shunned by his peers. That alone is good enough to tarnished his reputation.

As for a poor man? well - obviously... he's a nobody and he's got nothing to lose - thus he's more likely to commit the crime again... thus he goes to jail to get punished. A rich man being shunned by his community is somewhat as bad as being sentenced to jail.
 
Don't commit a crime in the first place then. =)
You see, communist rules!
 
but the rich man pay more taxes too, doesn't he? i think they need someone like him to keep the jail in good condition and feed the prisoners if the crime can be bailed and paid with fine (that is allow him back to the community). A poor man can not afford to pay taxes.

But it is unfair for serious crime like murder.
 
Let's look at it this way...

The rich man pays $10,000 to get out of jail... and squanders his own money on expensive food and housing.

The poor man stays in jail for 1 year, but gets free food and boarding at the expense of the government for one year... which likely costs more than the rich man pays on his own.

There are some poor people who commit small crimes so that they can stay in jail because they feel there's no other place to be since they're homeless.
 
VamPyroX said:
Let's look at it this way...

The rich man pays $10,000 to get out of jail... and squanders his own money on expensive food and housing.

The poor man stays in jail for 1 year, but gets free food and boarding at the expense of the government for one year... which likely costs more than the rich man pays on his own.

There are some poor people who commit small crimes so that they can stay in jail because they feel there's no other place to be since they're homeless.
Click to expand...

I was told by a deaf guy who committed crime twice, because he likes to stay in jail due to tax-free. :D
 
VamPyroX said:
Let's look at it this way...

The rich man pays $10,000 to get out of jail... and squanders his own money on expensive food and housing.

The poor man stays in jail for 1 year, but gets free food and boarding at the expense of the government for one year... which likely costs more than the rich man pays on his own.

There are some poor people who commit small crimes so that they can stay in jail because they feel there's no other place to be since they're homeless.
Click to expand...

yes but if the rich man got charged with the crime but gets away with just fines... he is most likely going to lose the job that pays him well.
 
he'll have to live like a poor man . which has happened to many rich men.. they lost their job and become poor.


then you'll be asking "which is fair? a poor man, a poor man who used to be rich, or a rich man who is about to be poor" (they are all equally poor)
 
No, it absolutely is not fair. But, unfortuately, it is the way our justice system works in the vast majority of cases.
 
Who in their right mind would want to live in jail? There's NO freedom in prison. Geez.

People need to realize that freedom is a very precious thing to have.

Truly.
 
Lighthouse77 said:
he'll have to live like a poor man since.. which has happened to many rich man.. they lost their job and became poor.
Click to expand...

exactly. there you go. that is worse than being imprisoned - for rich people! You lost everything that you spent your life building it up! Just look at Bernard Madoff. He committed a crime and he's never going to spend a day at jail. But then... nobody's going to hire him and he's completely ruined. It's just the matter of time till he runs out of hidden stash of $$$ (...or assassinated by pissed off victim). and then he'll be a poor bastard.

Karma's a bitch
 
Jiro said:
exactly. there you go. that is worse than being imprisoned - for rich people! You lost everything that you spent your life building it up! Just look at Bernard Madoff. He committed a crime and he's never going to spend a day at jail. But then... nobody's going to hire him and he's completely ruined. It's just the matter of time till he runs out of hidden stash of $$$ (...or assassinated by pissed off victim). and then he'll be a poor bastard.

Karma's a bitch
Click to expand...

Look at cocaine addict - Robert Downey, he's still famous. :hmm:
 
Jiro said:
yes but if the rich man got charged with the crime but gets away with just fines... he is most likely going to lose the job that pays him well.
Click to expand...
If the company needs him so much, they will keep him.

For $10,000... sounds like the crime was minor, more like a misdemeanor.
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
Who in their right mind would want to live in jail? There's NO freedom in prison. Geez.

People need to realize that freedom is a very precious thing to have.

Truly.
Click to expand...

true. it's funny that some people think prison is like a hotel just because of 3 square meals and a bed. Guess what? You have to take a shit/piss in an open view, worry about not getting raped at shower room, and eating disgusting prison food.
 
deafbajagal said:
It's unfair. Should be the same consequences for everyone. I'm more for the "eye for an eye"
Click to expand...

Not+Fair.jpg
 
Jiro said:
interesting question!

the common view? "goddamn rich people can get away with anything as long as they have $$$$ and $$$$ lawyer"

the other perspective view? the rich person gets a slap on the wrist because there is a strong likelihood that he will not commit the crime again. why? because he is most likely a highly-visible person in his community and now that he's being shamed/shunned by his peers. That alone is good enough to tarnished his reputation.

As for a poor man? well - obviously... he's a nobody and he's got nothing to lose - thus he's more likely to commit the crime again... thus he goes to jail to get punished. A rich man being shunned by his community is somewhat as bad as being sentenced to jail.
Click to expand...

yeah, exactly how i saw it. life's a bitch sometimes.
 
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