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High-Tech Burglars May Get Longer Sentences In Louisiana

Posted by Soulskill on from the mapquest-probation dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "Burglars and terrorists should be careful not to use Google Maps if they plan on committing crimes in the state of Louisiana. Nola reports that a bill approved 89-0 by the Louisiana House will require that judges impose an additional minimum sentence of at least 10 years on terrorist acts if the crime is committed with the aid of an Internet-generated 'virtual map.' The bill, already approved by the Louisiana Senate, defines a 'virtual street-level map' as one that is available on the Internet and can generate the location or picture of a home or building by entering the address of the structure or an individual's name on a website. If the map is used in the commission of a crime like burglary, the bill calls for the addition of at least one year in jail (PDF) to be added to the burglary sentence. The House measure is now being sent back to the Senate for approval of clarifying amendments made by a House committee."

11 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Why? by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What the hell difference does it make whether someone used Google maps?

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:Why? by ArchieBunker · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Because it scares the old and technology illiterate people we call politicians. Half the supreme court doesn't know the difference between a pager and a cell phone.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    2. Re:Why? by Tim+C · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well, arguably it demonstrates premeditation; in reality it's probably going to be used rather like existing "extras", to bump up the sentence when desired. For example, it's perfectly legal to carry a crowbar or screwdriver in public. Use one while burgling a house or stealing a car, and suddenly you have "going equipped" added to the charge list.

      --
      It's official. Most of you are morons.
    3. Re:Why? by Itninja · · Score: 4, Informative

      Proving premeditation is hard, and just because you looked up someone's address doesn't automatically make it premeditation.

      It would be kind of hard to claim a robbery was a crime of opportunity (e.g. not premeditated) if the robber was found to have a map to the house, a picture of the front door, a satellite view of the surrounding neighborhood, and pictures of the inside (from Zillow, Redfin, etc.).

      --
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    4. Re:Why? by characterZer0 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Which one of them only half understands?

      --
      Go green: turn off your refrigerator.
  2. Knee-jerk, as usual by Rene+S.+Hollan · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The "high tech" map doesn't make the crime worse. It just serves as circumstantial evidence that it was premeditated. The harsher sentence should be imposed because the crime was planned, not because high tech was used.

    Here's why the proposed law is bad:

    1. It's way too specific. Why internet-generated maps? What about instructions to make burglary tools or improvised weapons?

    2. If the use of "high tech" makes the punishment worse, is that not a condemnation of "high tech" itself? That would be a bad thing.

    No, the thing that makes the crime worse is the premeditation, and the use of high-tech just offers evidence of this.

    --
    In Liberty, Rene
    1. Re:Knee-jerk, as usual by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They're trying to dumb down the internet... Next they'll charge Google with aiding and abetting, and make them remove the maps altogether..

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    2. Re:Knee-jerk, as usual by blair1q · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Er, burglary is always premeditated.

      There's no way to accidentally burgle someone's house, or do it in a fit of passion, or in self-defense.

      This law is no more or less a stupid abuse of legislative power than the classic example of passing a law saying that Pi is 3.0 instead of 3.14159...

      it's a clear demonstration that plural voting is no way to prove validity.

  3. And another fifteen years... by Wiarumas · · Score: 5, Funny

    And another fifteen years tacked on if the criminal tweets about it.

    --
    I will bend like a reed in the wind.
  4. I have an idea by jollyreaper · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Can we also give longer sentences to criminals who rip us off with exotic investment instruments instead of good old-fashioned grifts and cons?

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  5. The belief in punishment by fluor2 · · Score: 4, Informative

    This has been the US way of thinking for ages. Yet you have more prisoners than any other countries.

    The US needs to do something about why people go for such drastic steps, becoming burglars or similar. You cannot continue having a society where some win the great price and become rich whilst the majority stay poor. You need a better structure for so many things that I cannot see where to start.

    The only great about the US now is the great minds that continue to immigrate from other countries. Yet for every great mind there is thousands of people growing up not even knowing anything except how to steal. It's time to wake up and try doing something about how peoples lives can get better in general.