Dostoyevsky pointed out that it's not the severity of punishment that deters so much as the certainty of it.
The Terran Federation's system it does its best to leave no doubt in the immediate, certain consequences of transgression. An important step in that is that there must be no appeals, and no untimely delays between arrest and trial, nor conviction and punishment. The delay must be brief to maintain the public awareness of the causal link between the crime and the result of the crime.
I have little doubt that the Terran Federation would run a higher false conviction rate than America does. I also have little doubt that in absolute numbers, they would have way less crime in general.
Dostoyevsky pointed out that it's not the severity of punishment that deters so much as the certainty of it.
The Terran Federation's system it does its best to leave no doubt in the immediate, certain consequences of transgression. An important step in that is that there must be no appeals, and no untimely delays between arrest and trial, nor conviction and punishment. The delay must be brief to maintain the public awareness of the causal link between the crime and the result of the crime.
I have little doubt that the Terran Federation would run a higher false conviction rate than America does. I also have little doubt that in absolute numbers, they would have way less crime in general.