# Would you report a loved one to the police? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 25, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672 "2008-12-25T20:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4491bb/32.png) [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Have_Hippos_In_My_Garden)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/1 "2008-12-25T20:07:00Z")
If, for example, you saw a family member or close friend commiting a crime of any sort, would you report them to the police and give evidence? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/2 "2008-12-25T20:08:09Z")
You really have to be a lot more specific than “crime of any sort” to have any kind of meaningful discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/3 "2008-12-25T20:10:49Z")
If it’s a victimless crime like marijuana use or something where reporting it would achieve nothing like speeding, no. Otherwise, yes. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4491bb/32.png) [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Have_Hippos_In_My_Garden)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/4 "2008-12-25T20:11:18Z")
I wasn’t specific for the reason that everyone should have different opinions for different types of crime. But, okay, how about for speeding, stealing, and murder? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/5 "2008-12-25T20:12:39Z")
> [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](#): > > I wasn’t specific for the reason that everyone should have different opinions for different types of crime. > But, okay, how about for speeding, stealing, and murder? No, no, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/6 "2008-12-25T20:14:08Z")
> [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](#): > > But, okay, how about for speeding, stealing, and murder? I’d report someone for theft or murder. ---
**Author:** ![sovtawen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@sovtawen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sovtawen)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/7 "2008-12-25T21:50:33Z")
A loved one? Not unless the crime was especially terrible or violent, like murder. My loyalty to my family supplants my loyalty to the laws of society. I would be saddened and horrified, but I’d probably do my best to help keep them out of trouble with the law, without become too much of an accomplice myself. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/8 "2008-12-25T21:58:30Z")
I would say yes for something especially terrible like murder or rape/sexual abuse. Anything else, I suppose it would be a case by case basis. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/9 "2008-12-25T22:03:09Z")
Murder and rape are pretty unforgiveable to me. Other than that… I don’t know. The OP says ‘loved one’, which means someone I love and by extension trust. If it was serious–like theft, or some act of physical violence–I’d want to hear the reason behind it first. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/10 "2008-12-25T22:25:42Z")
If it was something very serious, like murder or rape, then yes - but only after I’d done my utmost to convince them to turn themselves in. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/11 "2008-12-25T22:36:07Z")
Does making my teenage son confess to B&E count. If so, the answer is yes. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/12 "2008-12-25T22:47:57Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/13 "2008-12-25T22:48:06Z")
I used to say yes on all counts. But I had a dream of unparalleled vividness where a member of the family killed someone else. It would be unwise to extrapolate any feelings I get from a dream, but my feelings were overwhelmingly of a protective sort. I probably won’t turn any member of my immediate family for any thing except one which hasn’t happened yet and can still be prevented. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/14 "2008-12-25T23:05:31Z")
Did the murdered person deserve it? ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/15 "2008-12-25T23:10:13Z")
All depends on the reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/16 "2008-12-25T23:13:36Z")
What if the crime was pouring acid glue on Hitler? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/17 "2008-12-25T23:14:29Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What if the crime was pouring acid glue on Hitler? What if the crime was shooting your trapped child in a burning car to keep him from suffering? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/18 "2008-12-26T00:59:09Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > What if the crime was shooting your trapped child in a burning car to keep him from suffering? Hey, merry fucking Christmas, dude! ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/19 "2008-12-26T01:46:09Z")
If it was a loved one, then I’d probably be involved, so definitely not! But really, it has to be a case by case thing. It all depends on context. I can’t give a blanket answer that will most certainly apply to all situations. I think when actually faced with these situations we’re more fickle than we’d like to believe. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672/20 "2008-12-26T03:14:06Z")
> [@I\_Have\_Hippos\_In\_My\_Garden](#): > > If, for example, you saw a family member or close friend commiting a crime of any sort, would you report them to the police and give evidence? I have done that very thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-report-a-loved-one-to-the-police/478672.md?page=2)