So Im a little lost. You said the fines dont curb traffic (so what do we do? eliminate traffic laws? send speeders to prison?) and you also said that you dont think drug offenders should go to jail (do we legalize all drugs? will billboards advertise the latest crack brand? Will they pay the fines that dont work with traffic?). Is there a solution to this? HOW would you revamp the criminal justice system?

Later

I don't think that drug offenders should go to jail so quickly. Drug offenders can be considered "intent to sell" with a fairly small amount of drugs in their possession, and I think maybe should just get fines and community service instead of automatically being clumped with a group of violent criminals. Drugs do not necessarily equate violence, nor would I say that drugs are more or equally harmful to society than violent crimes.

The problem I have with paying fines for traffic infractions is that I have a problem with the criminal justice system, and don't feel like I should be forced to support it with large fines that really don't create a safer atmosphere for drivers. Either stop traffic infractions by getting more cops out there or just let the whole thing go. It just seems like a ploy to make money, especially when they put lists of traffic fines for one specific infraction, say, an accident.

I don't know how I would revamp the criminal justice system. I think I would make stiffer sentences for things like negligence and white collar crimes, where the perps are wealthy and just have to get good lawyers to stay out of jail. I would make better lawyers available to the poor, and I would make fairer sentences for drug-related offenses, depending on the number of offenses and the nature of the offense. I think victims should be the subject of compensation, not the state, and the state shouldn't be so greedy to take fees and instead work to eliminate crime. I don't know if that's a solution, but I think something should be done, and those are my ideas at the moment.
I Work at an Animal Shelter

Got any to spare?

Despite all the laws and so called punishment I get the feeling that crime is still on the increase. More jobs for police and lawyers - the latter getting richer and richer and the police getting overwhelmed and under supported? I do think it is a universal problem that needs to be resolved. We in Oz think our courts are too "kind" on criminals - and some just snub their noses at the system.

to notice a problem with punishments for drug dealers, do you? Anyway, no pot to spare, sorry, my friend.

It probably is a universal problem (except maybe, when the Taliban was in charge - heh). I don't know how difficult it is to create a balance. My dad's a lawyer, so I hesitate to say anything bad about them. I think also that violent crimes get stiffer sentences, despite the fact that some white collar crimes affect far more people. I don't know if this is universal, but that just keeps all the poor in jail and the rich out there continuing to take advantage of people, further harming the poor and putting them in situations to commit violent crimes. Put the buggers in jail, please! Maybe that will cure the whole lawsuit and malpractice insurance problem. Criminals are criminals are criminals, no matter what the crime or what the ethnicity.

Furthermore, the whole jail system probably needs to be revamped. Curb the violence in prisons, please. I'm a little bit tired of people saying that prison is some sort of cake walk, because I think it's a matter of personal freedom. You can't leave, even if you do get cable TV, free food and living expenses and so forth. Furthermore, you can't keep hurting people.

I Work at an Animal Shelter