by Perry McCarney

Created on: November 27, 2011   Last Updated: November 29, 2011

The answer to this question is dependent on our definition of what "non-violent crimes" means. If we define violence as being only physical, body-damaging, harm to the victim, then any person who has ever suffered severe emotional or financial harm at the hands of another, unless a far more forgiving soul than myself, would be quite justified in stating loudly, "YES." While a physical wound might heal within a few weeks, how long might it take someone to recover from psychological trauma, if they can, or recoup the loss of moneys they have been saving up for 30 years?

In today's hard economic circumstances, we see far too many people losing their homes, their savings, their future well-being, to mega-rich financiers who not only avoid anything worse than home detention, if that, but not even a modest lowering in their lifestyles. Our laws allow them to hide away the wealth they have ethically, though apparently not legally, stolen from people, hiding it away under trust funds, the names of other family members and anywhere else they might find where the multitude of laws that protect ONLY the rich allow them to hide it. Laws that only protect the rich, because they are the only ones who can afford the parasitic lawyers capable of manipulating our legal system to do so.

That the violent criminal that invades a home; tortures, rapes and often kills the owners and residents for a relative pittance of material wealth should be incarcerated for as long as possible, if not outright executed, should be obvious. The primary reason should NOT be social vengeance or retribution for their acts, but to protect others from becoming their future victims! And to discourage others to follow their example, although sadly in this day and age, that is less likely than even 20 years ago. But it cannot be said strongly enough, only as long as we can be certain they are truly guilty, rather than a convenient scapegoat for authorities needing a quick resolution to a horrendous crime.

The simple fact is, however, that despite the devestation and pain their crimes inflict on not only their immediate victims, but all those people who cared for those victims, the number of their victims are quite small in comparison to the victims of many of the so-called non-violent, white collar criminals. And even more, the rich and powerful decision-makers that our laws, primarily written by other rich and powerful decision-makers, say have committed no crime at all when they have "legally" conned

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