- Thread Starter
- #21
Wrong assumption.
While LE may not show up at the time of the incident, the amount of resources devoted to tracking down and prosecuting the "vigilante" will be enormous compared to solving/prosecuting a "normal" crime.
This is because of several factors:
1) Those involved in the Criminal Justice System realize that they can only operate if the public wholeheartedly supports them and believes that they are the best way to keep crime at bay. Successful vigilantism builds a belief that the CJS is dysfunctional and creates a threat to their power by fostering disrespect.
2) In many places, those with power over the CJS WANT criminals to go unpunished or be lightly punished.
3) Vigilantism is disruptive to society. Please note that this is different from #1, above. Vigilantism lacks structure, resulting in many unfair results. A point can be reached quite quickly where no one is safe, even the law-abiding.
4) Vigilantism is not self-defense. An armed populace with strong legal protections for those using self-defense is a strong deterrent to both criminal behavior and vigilantism.
Police your brass.