[lbo-talk] is law enforcement a way to raise money for local economies?

[Eubulides]

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 8:38 PM, michael yates <mikedjyates at msn.com> wrote:
>
> In many towns these days, large numbers of people are arrested for drunk driving, drug possession, public drunkenness, disturbing the peace, and a host of other offenses.  They must appear before magistrates, and more often than not, are assessed fines, which can be significant. Public drunkenness will cost you about $500 in my hometown. If you hire a lawyer, count on spending a lot of money. In the end, the police, the magistrates, the lawyers, the courts, many people get money. A DUI will enrich a host of others as well: the counselors, the probation officer, those who administer breathalyzer tests, and others I can't think of just now. Money, money, money. Justice never seems to have anything to do with it. Are there any studies about all of this?
>
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How inexpensive do you think cleaning up a multi-vehicle drunk driving
accident should be? Let's start with 3 cars, 2 dead and 4 injured.
With major traffic delays. At 10:30 in the morning. With bongs and
Oxycontin in one of the cars.

Should the cops be in a union? How about the public works crews and
the firefighters? How about all the admin. assist. who'll crunch the
numbers? How about the construction workers who will be contracted to
fix the busted infrastructure?

Who will notify the spouses and parents? Who will pay if the so-called
responsible agent had no insurance and worked at Wal-Mart on the night
shift and the survivors decide to sue?

The answers you seek may be found by filing *lots* of requests for
public records.