Crime and punishment (or lack thereof)

On August 22, 2009, James Zupkofska, 45, a corrections officer in Norfolk County, was struck and killed while jogging. Proximate cause of death? The rather odd Massachusetts practice of criminalizing behavior without actually inconveniencing citizens with enforcement.

Case in point – “Lawmakers’ bills target drunken, reckless drivers,” Attleboro Sun Chronicle, 9/28/09 – in which new laws are described that “increase fines and criminal penalties for motorists who violate the right of way,” resulting in the injury or death of pedestrians or bicyclists.

It is odd that, when there is a problem with speeding, the response is to lower the speed limit. If they keep exceeding 30 mph, then let’s make it 25. Then 20. How about 12 ½? Boy, that sure slowed ‘em down! All it cost was to change the signs.

Or when littering becomes a problem, just increase fines to $1,000, then $5,000! Yes, the streets are much cleaner now.

The disconnect here is that Massachusetts politicians (state and local) just don’t get the relationship between crime and deterrence. Here, serious traffic charges are rarely levied unless an accident has occurred – after the fact and much too late. You can criminalize until the cows come home, but unless there is a cost to be paid for bad behavior, that behavior won’t change.

Instead of posturing and passing feel-good legislation, here’s a recipe for truly making a difference. Let’s fund state and local police departments to actually stop and ticket motorists for bad behavior – such as weaving, tailgating, and red-light running, prior to an accident.

That might have actually kept Mr. Zupkofska alive.