Define Crime

[nailit]

Theres been a lot of discussion on other threads that ive read about criminals and prison. What intrigues me is the blanket term 'criminal' to cover everyone who is incarcerated. Obviously everyone who is in prison is deemed a criminal.
But it seems to me to be an unfair assumption to lump everyone together in the same bracket. ie, you've committed an offence, ergo you're a criminal.
Some years ago I committed the offence of stealing a pack of sandwiches from Tesco. I don't dispute I committed an OFFENCE. However I was literally starving and homeless. I had no money for food at the time and was sleeping rough. But does it make me a CRIMINAL to want to survive?
Not so long ago homosexuality was an imprisonable offence but we dont consider homosexuals criminals anymore.
In the same way, we dont consider alcoholics criminals because possessing alcohol is not a crime but we consider drug addiction to be a crime by default because to be an addict you will have to possess illegal drugs.
We all know that child abuse, mugging old ladies and stealing others property is wrong, but do you think that there might be a difference between committing what society deems an offence and been a criminal?

[tamborine]

I was driven off in a black maria and put in a cell for a few hours for trying to save my hedgerow. The charge was 'disturbing the peace'. Who cares about crime; only the best experience it and it makes for a colorful life ;)

[nailit]

Tell us more Tambo, im intrigued if no one else is...

[tamborine]

all here nailit. not only is my hrow being decimated but some idiot has shot my owls along with lots of other birds. Am left with loads of crows and little else.

Police have told the developer to install cctv on me coz I threaten to fill the cleared land with hardcore.

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/How-it-Works/Question1350814.html

[nailit]

very interesting tambo, though it must have been a few years ago now to have been driven of in a Black Marie...

[nailit]

The 60's?

[tamborine]

those vans with a cage like dogs stray dogs are put in. I was driven 20miles away and about 7pm and was offered a free solicitor, (cops wouldn't let my own solicitor see me) Free beaks only works after midnight, for extra mullahs, so I had to wait and was released at 2am & driven home by cops. I slept most of the time - it was a lovely rest. Oh and gorgeous young cops checking me out. Mouth swabbed, fingerprinted & stripped in case I committed suicide they hoped :)

[tamborine]

D'ter phoned me (on excuse to find keys to animal feed) but she told me the house was searched while I was locked up.

Can I sue ?

[nailit]

LOL Tambo....what a troll u are, made me laugh anyway
//driven 20 miles away// no cop shops nearby then?
//wouldnt let my own solicitor see me// ? Reallly?
//stripped in case I committed suicide // A bit of fantasy there?

[tamborine]

There r closer cop shops but I think the neighbor went to the nearer one. R well, dont belive me but I watch c11 Picktv in case am on - lol.