Should Criminals Profit From Their Crimes
By maru_047in
@maru_047in (1007)
India
January 9, 2007 5:59am CST
The justice system came to an all time low when O.J. Simpson's publicist announced he was going to write a book about how he would have murdered his ex-wife if he "did it". However we shouldn't really be too horrified because it isn't the first or the last time criminals have or will profit because of their fame. Gacy sold his paintings (clowns no less) whilst waiting on death row, Charles Manson has a music CD available on Amazon, Scott Peterson has his own website and the list goes on.
Thoughts to ponder.
Is human nature and curiosity partly to blame ? Is the judicial system to blame for allowing criminals to profit from their crime and subsequent fame ? We all know serial killers love attention.Are the media moguls to blame as they desperately seek ratings and profits, rather than respectability?If you were a media mogul and had to make a decision about giving a criminal airtime, would you make a decision based on ratings and profitablity or ethics ?Is it really a bad thing ? Jury members are allowed book deals, family members of victims are allowed book deals and even complete strangers are allowed book deals, why not the criminal? When is the line crossed ? Is it possible outcomes of trials will be manipulated by jury and family members in order to get better book and movie deals ? Why isn't there a law stopping people profiting from a crime?
4 people like this
13 responses
@sizzle3000 (3036)
• United States
9 Jan 07
In some states there are law that prohibit profit being made from crime. I don't think anyone that is in jail for any reason should make any money that is in anyway connected to a criminal act. I think the victoms family should get any money that is gained from the crime. If the prisoner writes a book, or if a movie is made and money gained this money should go to the criminals victomes. I also feel that a person who I am paying to sit in a jail cell and do absolutley nothing making money is not a good thought. If this criminal can make money he should be paying back the many tax payers who are paying for his room and board. The reason there is not laws stopping this is because most politicians think this is not important. It is totally rediculous that these murderers are getting free meals and schooling and beds and now making money. I think the system stinks. The problem is that politic is involved and no one seems to find this subject important. Why would any prison allow a murderer to have their own website but there are some that do.
1 person likes this
@maru_047in (1007)
• India
10 Jan 07
I have rated ur comment or response for my discussion it was good and i want u to add me as ur friend and wht ever discussion u ll do i ll definitely rate it possitive and respond to it. IT IS JUST A REQUEST AND NOT AN ORDER .
THANKS IN ADVANCE
@dmillman (2273)
• United States
10 Jan 07
I agree with this poster that the best thing would be for ANY profit made from ANY crime (book, movie, TV, etc.) should go back to the taxpayers that are paying for these crimminals to have free room and board. That makes the most sense out of what everyone else has written so far. If the family profits, or the victims profit, we may get more violence. Plus, if it's the taxpayers that profit, maybe crimminals will be less likely to bother with it. If that's the case, there will be less of it around, and then people may end up getting weaned off the crime and gore and then the crimminals and reporters will stop! I don't know if it would actually work, but it's an idea. The crimminals should definitely NOT make money from their crimes. It's just not right!
@debbie4824 (118)
• United States
9 Jan 07
Some states do have laws not allowing criminals to profit, but there are so many ways around these laws, i.e. a family member of the criminal, that they probably are pretty meaningless.
If you want to place blame though, i think the buck has to stop with the consumer, if we weren't interested and morbidly obsessed with understanding these things, then they wouldn't have anyone to buy these things, therefore no profit.
There is definitely a type of criminal that becomes so for the media attention. (If there's any psychologists on here, maybe they'll have the term) Let's be honest though, it's not something that's likely to change anytime soon.
If there was to be a law stating that all profits go to the victim's families, the next thing you know, you'd have people committing crimes against their own families or hiring someone solely to benefit. It's a crazy crazy world out there.
@sizzle3000 (3036)
• United States
9 Jan 07
There are criminals out there already committing crimes again their own family members. This is something that won't change. The punishment never fits the crime and the criminal has more rights than the victums. I don't think a law is going to change anything. There are all kinds of laws on the books that are not enforced. I also don't see the profit being taken out of the industry as it seems that the more real and the blook and gore something is the more people buy or listen too. Perhaps this is one reason crime is so high because there is actually no punishment.
1 person likes this
@maru_047in (1007)
• India
10 Jan 07
I have rated ur comment or response for my discussion it was good and i want u to add me as ur friend and wht ever discussion u ll do i ll definitely rate it possitive and respond to it. IT IS JUST A REQUEST AND NOT AN ORDER .
THANKS IN ADVANCE
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Jan 07
I do not feel that criminals should profit from their crimes as I think many people feel O.J. is guilty and got away easily. It is downright apalling that they would allow him to make and sell books, especially with what he wrote about. That is downright sick. The victims family have to be outraged by this. This is a very good discussion. Thank you for posting this topic.
1 person likes this
@anne_143god (5387)
• Philippines
10 Jan 07
I dont also like criminals who are getting profit for being fame and getting the sympathy of other people maybe group against criminal should make a campaign not to patronize the work of criminals.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
10 Jan 07
I was horrified about OJ's book but it was pulled from the shelves because of the public out roar. Right or wrong he was not convicted of the crime. The others were all convicted and they should not be allowed to profit in any way.
1 person likes this
@maru_047in (1007)
• India
10 Jan 07
I have rated ur comment or response for my discussion it was good and i want u to add me as ur friend and wht ever discussion u ll do i ll definitely rate it possitive and respond to it. IT IS JUST A REQUEST AND NOT AN ORDER .
THANKS IN ADVANCE
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
9 Jan 07
I don't know. It really doesn't seem fair, does it, that people should be able to not only commit a crime, but then profit from it? I guess that there is not much that we can do to prevent this, but we can at least avoid buying such books and viewing movies based on these subjects. If more and more people did that, there would be less demand for such things, and then perhaps it would all die out. Not likely to happen, I know.. but we can do our part and avoid such things ourselves, at the least! ^_^
@maru_047in (1007)
• India
10 Jan 07
I have rated ur comment or response for my discussion it was good and i want u to add me as ur friend and wht ever discussion u ll do i ll definitely rate it possitive and respond to it. IT IS JUST A REQUEST AND NOT AN ORDER .
THANKS IN ADVANCE
@hcprasad (1012)
• India
10 Jan 07
Law is made superiors but followed by stupids.
Law is there to punish those who are guilty and not to punish innocents.
But because of the followers everything is going in a reverse way benefitting criminals and punishing innocents.
Only god can save us from these stupids.
@lizabeth (666)
• United States
10 Jan 07
I personally don't think a criminal should be able to profit off their crimes. It is a slap in the face to the victim and their families. I don't know why people like reading about it or watching a movie like that. When I have I just feel so sorry for the victim and their family.
@brightbluesea (1143)
• United States
10 Jan 07
Any and all profits should go to the victims. I am glad that they pulled the OJ book because it was a sick idea and definitely fueled by the media appealing to OJ's Narcissistic Personality Disorder
@entrepreneurgirl (273)
• United States
10 Jan 07
I hate when this happens. It's deplorable. Some of these people make millions while we hard working tax payers pay for them to sit in cells for crimes they committed against the rest of us law abiding citizens. It really upsets me. It's disgusting. I understand they have stories to tell and tons of time to do work but it just doesn't seem right.
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
10 Jan 07
You have to remember 2 things though
1-OJ was acquitted
2-His book deal was cancelled.
@faustinodioso (155)
• Philippines
10 Jan 07
Criminal's are those person who think about how to make trouble's to a peaceful life.They do this in so many way's just to earn money.If they capture finish their career.
