Wednesday, November 12, 2008

If there's a warrant out for your arrest in Phoenix... beware

Reality TV is getting cruel. Not one to rest on the premise of finding crooks who've jumped bail (Dog the Bounty Hunter), Fox will be introducing a mid-season pilot where crooks are treated to a made-up great situation before arresting them.

The show, "Smile, You're Arrested" Phoenix law enforcement in Phoenix set up grandiose sting operations to lure criminals with outstanding warrants into their waiting hands. On film.

Some of the set-ups include a criminal being lured to a movie set to be a paid extra, where the director fires the lead actor, replacing him with the criminal.
Or a fake fashion shoot where the criminal becomes a supermodel or becomes a car racer.

Yep, our culture is all about making people squirm and catching it on film. I guess we're supposed to feel less guilty about the indulgence since the targets are crooks.........

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course we shouldn't feel guilty. For the amount of suffering, or at least chaos that criminals inflict on society, and the complete lack of true punishment that our "justice" systems applies to those who are convicted; I find this to be a truly honest and due method of people being held responsible for their actions. In a society where wrong doers are consistently given the benefit of the doubt, and countless methods of escaping punishment through numerous legal loopholes, perhaps embarrassing them on a national scale will become the next evolution of punishment, or even rehabilitation.

Karl Plesz said...

"perhaps embarrassing them on a national scale will become the next evolution of punishment, or even rehabilitation".

Punishment - perhaps. Rehabilitation - I personally don't see that as a valid form of rehabilitation.

And as far as what effect this type of show would have on the criminal mind, I don't think it would make them consider their actions whatsoever. If anything, I picture a criminal resorting to embarrassing their victims and those who care for them by filming the crimes against them and throwing them on the internet.

My point being, criminals usually take escalations against them in kind. As much as I despise the flaws in our justice system, reacting with vengeance against criminals to soothe our consciences is not the answer.

My opinion..........