Do you think the statement there is no such thing as a victimless crime is true?

We had this as a subject in a law class in college...I think there are some, like if you run a red light and there's nobody else around, what harm there?

Eh, for the most part....no. It would depend on the situation.

Chris wrote:

Do you think the statement there is no such thing as a victimless crime is true?

On the surface it seems like there can be an argument against it but I think if you trace the act back far enough, you can find a "victim", no matter how slight. Maybe not 100% but pretty close.

I think it probably just depends on the situation.

Opa Shale wrote:

OK, I gave one example of a "Victimless Crime." Nobody saw it?

Guy smoking grass gets arrested because smoking grass is a crime. There are no victims to a guy smoking grass - none whatsoever. (Except the guy arrested for a bogus crime)

A 'crime' is when one breaks the law. If the law is fucked up, it is still a crime to break it.

So, before 1967 ppl were arrested for making consensual love to someone of a different race because it was a crime in 15 states. Were there any victims to such a 'crime?'

Before 2003, ppl were arrested for making consensual love to someone of the same gender because it was a crime in many of those same states. Were there any victims to such a 'crime?'

IDK, did I read the question wrong? In my 3 examples, would someone trace back far enuf to find the victim (other than the ppl arrested)

See this is the thing that was tripping me up. When someone is arrested for marijuana possession (which I don't believe should even BE a crime) it's hard to not see the person arrested as the victim. Even worse if it's for cancer, glaucoma, MS or several other diseases that people actually benefit from using. It's like they're victimized twice.

Yes Shale, I read your first example and it helped illustrate mine. Was the guy smoking home grown or did he buy it from a dealer? Where'd the dealer get it from? Trace it back to a Mexican or Columbian drug cartel so the innocent pot smoker is helping to support a criminal organization known for extreme violence. Yes, the obvious solution is to legalize drug use. There will still be victims, just not of a crime.

I accept your later two examples of "sex crimes" as the percentage of crimes that can't be traced back to find they harmed someone else.

I think it's true, obviously to varying degrees depending on the crime.

I agree with it from a broad stroke. I think whenever it crime is committed someone suffers in some way, but I don't think the suffrage is always big or significant.