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You just haven't taken this to the next step. You're still thinking in terms of middle-class people in a nice quite neighborhood. Life isn't so simple. Go talk to the people in Ecuador and ask them about Rights vs the Corporation (in this case Texaco/Chevron). They've been in court since 1993 and have seen no money while living in an oily mess that continues to plague them. People have taken companies to court, too many times to count, over health and safety problems - whole communities have done this - and got nowhere because Big Business can outspend almost anybody on the planet with two exceptions, another Big Business and Uncle Sam. Now you would take away Uncle Sam leaving no one to protect the people.All violations of other's property have effects than cannot be reversed. That's why it is beneficial to reduce violations of others' property to the greatest extent possible. Nor can one stop a crime before it happens. All that can be done is to ensure that when a crime is committed, the perpetrator is punished. Catching an punishing a single murderer will not bring the victim back to life. But we do it anyway, because others who might do the same thing need to understand that they will also be punished. Likewise, yes you are right. I could pull up to your yard and dump a barrel of used motor oil on your front yard. Maybe I don't get caught, but if I do, I will be hauled before a judge and punished. This hopefully stops others from doing the same thing.
I admit you are right that no crime can actually be punished until after it is committed, but we still have to at least attempt to establish laws of justice in which judges can adjudicate the case and mete out the appropriate punishment. It is only the disincentive provided by the fear of punishment that keeps people from infringing on the property of others.
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