Commentary
| Published date | 01 October 1988 |
| Date | 01 October 1988 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X8806100401 |
| Subject Matter | Commentary |
TbePOLICE
JOURNM
C~fAV"VI
MORALITY
Kenneth Russell and Gregory Beaven presentaprovocative article in this
issue under the tantalizing heading of,
'The
Legislation
of
Morality',
which postulates the theory that by criminalizing the provision
of
such
'goods'
as pornographic material, illicit drugs and gambling facilities,
together with such 'services' as prostitution, abortion and homosexual
acts, Parliament involves itself in ambivalent and controversial areas
of
morality with, for the most part, dysfunctional consequences.
According to their arguments, the enforcementof moral legislation,
i.e. incrimes which are ostensibly victimless, presents enormous difficulties
and is largely a futile exercise. Police corruption, disrespect for the law,
even the development
of
an alternative moral code which is seen as anti-
authority, are seen as not-infrequentconsequences of this type oflegislation.
In short, the authors see no purpose to be served in legislating for a less
sinful society on the premise that morality cannot be imposed.
The arguments used, with certain evidential support, paint an
unhappy picture of man wallowing in vice, regardless
of
the
law's
demands and of the onslaught of a corrupt police service
'bent'
on
enforcing, or using, it. Food for thought, indeed, but it is submitted with
respect that the picture is false and unreal. How can Parliamentprotectthe
vulnerableand proclaim its objections to unsavoury conductother than by
imposing controls?
ASHOCK FOR CAR THIEVES
An electric shock for car thieves is the latest autocrime deterrent to come
from Sweden,among anumberof ideas proposedby the SkandiaInsurance
Company, S-103 95, Stockholm. Known appropriately as the electric
chair, the system is installed in the vehicle's front seats and connected to
an anti-thief alarm. After four alarm signals the thief who ignores the
warning receives 9000 volts of electric current, which instantly clears his
mind
of
any further criminal intentions.
Although delivering a nasty shock to the persistent thief, the device
has been declared harmless by medical experts at a Swedish hospital, who
say that the electricshock is harmless even for those with heart pacemakers,
apparently on the grounds that the current is inductive and amounts to no
more than 0.00065 amps.
Whetheror not these claims have validity cannot be guaranteed, but
October 1988 291
To continue reading
Request your trial