The civil libertarian in me shudders. The economist in me wonders if this could be made efficient and on-balance fair.
Could beat cops be given a budget of arbitrary punishment, enough to deliver on-the-spot 'justice' but not so much that any irreparable/irreversible damage is done?
Can there be a expedited appeals process and community or expert review to provide accountability and keep things from descending into a 'Training Day'-like scenario?
Would technology like public video of all cop interactions make such a system less prone to abuse?
It's the arbitrary informality of the process as described that scares me; delegating some snap judgment/punishment powers could be rights-preserving and welfare-promoting, with the right incentives and checks in place.
Could beat cops be given a budget of arbitrary punishment, enough to deliver on-the-spot 'justice' but not so much that any irreparable/irreversible damage is done?
Can there be a expedited appeals process and community or expert review to provide accountability and keep things from descending into a 'Training Day'-like scenario?
Would technology like public video of all cop interactions make such a system less prone to abuse?
It's the arbitrary informality of the process as described that scares me; delegating some snap judgment/punishment powers could be rights-preserving and welfare-promoting, with the right incentives and checks in place.