Reply #17: No, that's that conservative fallacy that believes crime is deterred by threats.

[jobycom]

In the real world crime is driven by many factors, and fear or lack thereof of punishment is not one of them. If anything, it will become more of a game, like slapping an angry bull. Crime rates are affected most by wealth and poverty, with the richest states having the lowest crime rates, including non-property crimes like murder, assault, and rape. It may not be as simple as wealth though. For instance, education usually equals higher wealth, so wealthier states may have lower crime rates because of education, as well. Obviously no one knows exactly for sure, or we could eliminate crime. But in general, states with the most conservative laws tend to have higher crime rates--though again, that may be because states with lower education and lower income tend to be more conservative.

Texas has one of the worst records for violent crime, even though a large number of gun incidents go unpunished for political reasons. There are a lot of out-and-out murders here that aren't even charged because a person has a carry permit, and politicians are hell-bent on keeping such crime statistics low to keep the gun lobby happy.

But clerks shooting beer thiefs doesn't reduce the number of beer thefts. It can, though, increase the number of clerks shot by criminals not wanting to take chances.