Germany scraps nuke power

[Nepenthe]

However, in fairness to the powers that be, I do wonder if it's precisely because our environment is so complex. We've had some interesting discussions about criminal justice here recently, and while we disagree we recognise that the impact of say, a sentencing tariff, is not obvious. Harsher sentence may sound like tough on crime, but it might not actually reduce crime. And if so, is that really protecting anyone? (I deliberately choose this example because I happen to think that it ought to work, and I'm trying to make a wider point about complexity).

Demanding "harsher penalties" is a typical populist attitude, no matter where the bar is set. The public perception will always err on the side of thinking that the system lets people off too easy. However, I've actually served in the system, and my opinions are based on actual knowledge of what happens, and not just the newspapers and their attempts to create fear.

 

Or, to actually make a point and not just rant, our system has slowly become the most lenient in Europe, and Green do-gooders keep shutting down prisons and creating artificial systems for cutting down the sentences given in the name of "savings". (first time in prison, non-juvenile, serve half of given, already generally rather short sentence, repeat offender 2/3s, become first-timer again after a couple of years etc.) People given life sentences, known to be dangerous, are released and then execute three people at the McDonalds drive-in within a month or two... and so on.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Nepenthe

[Walsingham]

However, in fairness to the powers that be, I do wonder if it's precisely because our environment is so complex. We've had some interesting discussions about criminal justice here recently, and while we disagree we recognise that the impact of say, a sentencing tariff, is not obvious. Harsher sentence may sound like tough on crime, but it might not actually reduce crime. And if so, is that really protecting anyone? (I deliberately choose this example because I happen to think that it ought to work, and I'm trying to make a wider point about complexity).

Demanding "harsher penalties" is a typical populist attitude, no matter where the bar is set. The public perception will always err on the side of thinking that the system lets people off too easy. However, I've actually served in the system, and my opinions are based on actual knowledge of what happens, and not just the newspapers and their attempts to create fear.

 

Or, to actually make a point and not just rant, our system has slowly become the most lenient in Europe, and Green do-gooders keep shutting down prisons and creating artificial systems for cutting down the sentences given in the name of "savings". (first time in prison, non-juvenile, serve half of given, already generally rather short sentence, repeat offender 2/3s, become first-timer again after a couple of years etc.) People given life sentences, known to be dangerous, are released and then execute three people at the McDonalds drive-in within a month or two... and so on.

 

Interesting, but my rather ham fisted intention was to illuminate dynamics in the way we approach complexity in decision making.

 

In this instance the Germans seem to be exclusively second order complex.