# A solution to crime?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 16, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407 "2004-07-16T13:31:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lemon\_martini2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@lemon\_martini2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lemon_martini2)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407/1 "2004-07-16T13:31:04Z")

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Now computers are getting so advanced that in a few years we will be able to have virtual reality booths in the same way as we have cybercafes now.Why not use these to cure crime?The yobs can go visit them,enter a virtual environment where they can have their fights and beat up their old ladies.In the real world,crime levels plummet.Would it work and would there be disadvantages.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407/2 "2004-07-16T13:36:21Z")

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How does this solve the problem of people stealing things? Beating up and killing people to take their stuff? Revenge killings, rape or sexual assault? Plain ol’ crazy people, and, heaven forbid, _insider trading_?

By the way: typical depictions of so-called virtual reality technology are highly hyperbolized.

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**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407/3 "2004-07-16T13:46:31Z")

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If you could stop people from committing real crimes by giving them an environment they could commit virtual crimes in, Earth would have been a paradise the moment Grand Theft Auto III was released.

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407/4 "2004-07-16T13:49:00Z")

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Surely if you put such a person in a VR booth, their first action would be to smash up the booth. Huh-huh, like, cool.

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**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-solution-to-crime/255407/5 "2004-07-16T13:59:23Z")

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This has got GD written all over it, but before it gets moved, I may as well tell you that this is closer than you think, with the release of the computer game **“Sociolotron”** where, raping, killing, molestation - you name it - is fair game, and allowed.

Anyway, I don’t think it will work. I’m just commenting on how many sick-fuck people there are in the world, who buy and play this game…

Have a look: [http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,63997,00.html](http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,63997,00.html)