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Just because we overcharge some doesn't mean we should expand that and overcharge even more. Overcharging, mandatory minimums, sentencing guidelines, etc. are the reason the US prison population dwarfs that of other nations. We need to focus on rehabilitation and prevention for crimes like the drug dealer you mentioned not expand our prison population further by excessively charging in more and more crimes.

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Penalties for crimes that affect such large groups or even populations should be very harsh. Penalties for public services (police/politician corruption or actions) should be super harsh.

Police, institutional execs (bankers/doctors) and politicians should have a penalty structure that incentivizes appropriate behavior.

Just as they impose such rules downstream they should be subject to very harsh penalties when they exploit their positions.

Don't you think it would hurry that process along if the prisons filled up with bankers?

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