Interesting question, does imprisoning people lower the crime rate or do we have to chop of their hands?
I lived in Saudi Arabia for 11 years, there weren’t many hand choppings but there were a few head choppings for murder or rape. (I think a couple for witchcraft) they aways report them in the newspaper. Do they deter…I don’t think so, look how many exucutions still happen in KSA. Just don’t go to o the town squares on Fridays…they will herd you up to watch.
Northeastern Iran is alive with drug smuggling, and with addicts.
So, no.
I’d say stoning for adultery counts as “heroine abuse” 
Really? I know that there have been a few high profile cases but I’d guess that the rate is a lot lower than in western countries.
Paul…I think you might be a little harsh. To expect no crime is unrealistic. The question, I think, is crime in Saudi significantly less?
Even today in Dubai along the waterfront at night you’ll see stacked of unguarded electrical goods sitting in public all night long. Nobody steals them. When I first came to Dubai in the early 90s, you could walk through a parking lot and all the cars had the keys in the ignition. I know we never lock our door.
Yup - the Mid East is one of the most crime free places in the world.
It’s not harsh sentencing so much as the how certain and how fast punishment will come. Of course, a 'slap on the wrist" (which takes on a ironic meaning here) has little deterence.
In other words, for this crime, “3 years in Prison vs hand cut off” would both have a equal deterance, assuming in both cases the perp is sure he will be caught and punished.
Of course, in the case of dire need, people will steal to stay alive, and then deterence fails. Thus economic stability and decent standards of living will also reduce crime.
Thus, in current days we have Saudi Arabia with certain and fast punishment , combined with economic stability and decent standards of living. Thus little theft.
Russia has no economic stability & no certain and fast punishment (corruption is widespread), thus crime is rampant. Doesn’t matter if they had drawing & quartering for petty theft, if you need to steal to eat and if the chance of being caught and punished is low- crime will continue.
America has economic stability and decent standards of living (no one needs to steal to eat) , but in certain areas, “certain and fast punishment” is doubtful. Thus a moderate amount of theft, etc. Even if we had hand amputations, if you think you may get away with it, then you may risk it.
To use an example I’ve posted before… officially Islamic law regards homosexual activity as a serious sin and crime, and the punishments prescribed are harsh indeed.
So, that means there’s practical NO homosexual activity in Muslim countries, right?
On the contrary- such activity is EXTREMELY common in the Muslim world, and in many quarters, it’s not only tolerated but winked at.
Harsh punishments CAN be a powerful disincentive, but only if the perps think there’s both a strong chance of getting caught and a strong chance that the law will be enforced.
If dozens of people in a Muslim nation were stoned to death for sodomy every week, men would think long and hard before committing that crime. But if just one guy is hanged or stoned once a year, well, it’s a lot easier to think, “I’ll never get caught” and go right ahead.
I think street crime (and that is what we are talking about…I’m sure there is plenty of white collar crime in the Middle East) has so many factors it can’t be boiled down so easily. I imagine one of the biggest causes of crime would be large income disparities, and a general sense of not belonging in society.
astorian:
No, they’d try to avoid that.
Ooh, good one!