Cheaper than European Treaties...
Are restraining orders.
One of the lesser talked about SCOTUS decisions involved a woman who sued her local police department. Apparently she had a restraining order against her estranged husband who then kidnapped and murdered her three children. The SCOTUS dismissed the lawsuit and stated there are no constitutional rights to police protection from her husband (see This article for a bit more info on the case). Certainly reads like restraining orders can only be enforced after their violation.
Now, before I get too far down this analysis I have to say one thing. Critics of the position I am about to outline often say this position is one that shows very little faith in the police, that we are actually attacking the brave men and women in blue who protect and serve. That is....well I aim for a PG rating so I will just say that is not true.
The police who work to preserve law and order in our society, you see, are in many ways prevented from being crime preventers. After all the logic of "letting ten criminals go to prevent one innocent from being convicted" also works before bad-guys commit their crimes where it is harder to establish proof. The job of police is more often to secure crime scenes, take statements, apprehend suspects than it is to prevent crime. This is sad, but true. So, the idea is not to become a victim in the first place.
Even if the police were not prevented from preventing crime there is still the basic issue of scarcity of resources.
How do we prevent from being victimized? Well there are many websites out there (and other such resources) that can address that subject in a much deeper way than I can. However, there is another tool being withheld from the Wisconsin citizen and that is concealed carry! Anyone who obtains a restraining order that covers someone who is violent should arm themselves! Furthermore, concealed carry should be an option. At least get and learn how to use a gun for in home protection.
You have a restraining order against Thugo McHenry? What is that piece of paper going to do for you when he comes crashing through your door at 9:37 pm? A .22 or .38 would do much more for you!
Also, remember Thugo could be waiting for you when you leave your office, going to pick up the children, etc.
The real sad part is the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled the Wisconsin citizen has the right under the Wisconsin constitution to carry concealed. The state legislature has passed a concealed carry law and Governor Doyle vetoes it. Essentially Governor Doyle is telling the legislature off (of course one expects that) but he is also telling the WSC and the state constitution off (which is not expected).
One of the lesser talked about SCOTUS decisions involved a woman who sued her local police department. Apparently she had a restraining order against her estranged husband who then kidnapped and murdered her three children. The SCOTUS dismissed the lawsuit and stated there are no constitutional rights to police protection from her husband (see This article for a bit more info on the case). Certainly reads like restraining orders can only be enforced after their violation.
Now, before I get too far down this analysis I have to say one thing. Critics of the position I am about to outline often say this position is one that shows very little faith in the police, that we are actually attacking the brave men and women in blue who protect and serve. That is....well I aim for a PG rating so I will just say that is not true.
The police who work to preserve law and order in our society, you see, are in many ways prevented from being crime preventers. After all the logic of "letting ten criminals go to prevent one innocent from being convicted" also works before bad-guys commit their crimes where it is harder to establish proof. The job of police is more often to secure crime scenes, take statements, apprehend suspects than it is to prevent crime. This is sad, but true. So, the idea is not to become a victim in the first place.
Even if the police were not prevented from preventing crime there is still the basic issue of scarcity of resources.
How do we prevent from being victimized? Well there are many websites out there (and other such resources) that can address that subject in a much deeper way than I can. However, there is another tool being withheld from the Wisconsin citizen and that is concealed carry! Anyone who obtains a restraining order that covers someone who is violent should arm themselves! Furthermore, concealed carry should be an option. At least get and learn how to use a gun for in home protection.
You have a restraining order against Thugo McHenry? What is that piece of paper going to do for you when he comes crashing through your door at 9:37 pm? A .22 or .38 would do much more for you!
Also, remember Thugo could be waiting for you when you leave your office, going to pick up the children, etc.
The real sad part is the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled the Wisconsin citizen has the right under the Wisconsin constitution to carry concealed. The state legislature has passed a concealed carry law and Governor Doyle vetoes it. Essentially Governor Doyle is telling the legislature off (of course one expects that) but he is also telling the WSC and the state constitution off (which is not expected).
posted by Marcus Aurelius @ 6:35 PM
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