Thursday, October 26, 2006

Who should pay for costs of crime?

Victim Support groups want the state to compensate victims of crime. Garth McVicar wants a levy on all offenders to fund compensation payments. I prefer the second idea. But if criminals don't have the means to compensate their victims as it is, where are they going to get the levy from?

2 comments:

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Once upon a time NZ use to make relatives, sometimes quite distant ones, financially support their 'destitute' kin through through court orders.

Anonymous said...

While a nice idea on the surface Brian just why the hell should any extended family member be forced to stump up for the actions of another? If they choose to well fine but any compulsion would be flat out wrong.

That would be collectivism at its most basic...because you are related by an accident of birth you are under some kind of "altruistic obligation" to this person?

Irresponsible parents of wayward children are another matter however...having chosen to bring that child into the world then they have also chosen the accompanying obligation to look after it.And if that means picking up the tab for juniors wild ways then so be it...