Chapter 1324: Chapter 1323: Zero-Dollar Grand Promotion
In the Federation, if a criminal is sentenced to more than ten years in prison, it means that they are a serious offender.
They must be detained in a special prison designed specifically for serious offenders.
If someone’s sentence exceeds fifty years, there’s no hope of them ever getting out; they will spend their entire life in prison.
In the judicial system of the Federation, imprisonment has no upper limit; there isn’t a precisely achievable ceiling.
For example, a hundred years is the limit, even if someone ought to be sentenced to a hundred and twenty years, only a hundred are given because that is the limit.
There is none.
There is no such notion, so in the Federation, some people’s sentences could be hundreds or even thousands of years long.
As for why they aren’t sentenced to death, it might be because the jury or judges think their crimes are grave, but not severe enough to require their death, so they are given an exaggerated sentence instead.
Of course, if they have money, that works too. Clearly a death sentence, but they’re given a long-term imprisonment and transferred to a private prison with solitary rooms, a bathtub, TV, catering service, and even phone calls every Thursday.
Ten years and fifteen years aren’t much different after all.
Judging from the current situation in Nagariel, many people meet the criteria for execution.
After a moment of silence, someone asked softly, "Isn’t this too harsh? We might end a lot of lives because of this."
The Chief Justice quickly retorted, powerfully so, "But in doing so, we protect more people’s safety and their property. In a chaotic society, we should advocate using strict sentencing standards."
"Only by raising the cost of crime can we fundamentally reduce the occurrence of criminal activities!"
This statement indeed has no flaws. Someone once performed a social experiment with monkeys, setting very strict execution standards.
Soon, after some monkeys were punished, other monkeys who were not punished began to comply with these standards, and no one ever breached them again.
Even when new monkeys entered this society, they were warned by others, thus reducing the probability of "crime."
Human society is no different, and even more evolved.
When people realize that stealing a dollar could result in a death sentence, while a day’s work could earn them a dollar,
they would rather work to earn money than risk their lives for it.
A Judge continued, "Then we need a flexible sentencing standard, ranging from simple punishment to the death penalty."
Another Judge has already begun work, he laughed and said, "That’s why we are here; we excel at this."
From this day onward, the Royal Palace would announce the progress of the newly revised laws daily, very swiftly.
Because what’s being revised first is a temporary code, it’s merely a large framework, with more detailed content requiring more meticulous work, which might take years to slowly complete.
Note, it’s to complete, not perfect.
Laws can never be "perfect" because society is always progressing, and the law will always lag behind society, leaving room for amendment.
A hundred years ago in the Federation, the outcome of theft of a dollar was execution by hanging, but now... in some areas stealing items worth less than ten dollars isn’t even considered a crime!
If you can explain why you need these items, then it’s not considered a crime!
Sometimes, some local politicians really have zero bottom line to cater to the local populace, but this also illustrates the problem of legal flexibility.
Daily, new bills are being finalized, and the Federation’s judicial workers swiftly complete various tasks with their outstanding "experience."
Perhaps, that’s why Nagariel people need help from the Federation people!
However, some societal problems haven’t stabilized with the impending birth of Nagariel’s New Federation first legal code.
The people here have gotten used to making mistakes, the habit of not being punished for minor crimes, and not much punishment for major crimes.
For them, crime might just be a way of life, just like when Nell first arrived here, their camp was looted by locals, not even a piece of iron was left.
Anything that could be sold or had the slightest value was taken.
Is this crime?
This is evidently crime, but no one thinks it’s a crime.
It’s merely "picking up something from the roadside" and not returning it, can this be considered a crime?
This unclear understanding of law and crime is the core of recurring issues in Nagariel society.
They do not respect the law, nor do they discern right from wrong.
Even Akumal’s apprentices led a group to attack the local foreigner residential area.
Though they didn’t kill anyone like before, many foreigners were injured, some even severely.
Their properties were also looted, with more related photos and materials being published to the public.
Once again did people see the terrible disruption this surge of angry public sentiment caused to social order, as well as the hurdle that must be crossed in current social development.
Not everything can be decided by those in power, nor can it be by the wealthy.
The unrest and even turmoil set off by Akumal’s sudden downfall as a spiritual pillar have been ongoing.
"Bang!"
The glass of the roadside shop shattered completely, shards flying everywhere. Outside the window, a group of Nagariel youths, with red-rimmed eyes, used sticks with branches to sweep the glass clean.
Then they rushed in. Anything they wanted, they stuffed into their backpacks or pockets.
A seventeen-year-old boy named Aken was among them. Initially, he was just an onlooker, but once he tried grabbing a backpack himself, he couldn’t stop.
If no one broke the glass, he’d do it himself!
If no one was raiding the store, he’d take the lead.
In just a week, he had become very wealthy, snatching many valuable things, daily necessities, and even money.
This time, his target was still the cash box.
He hoisted his bag over his head and was the first to rush in. Immediately, people outside the window surged into the store like a flood bursting through a dam.
Aken was lucky enough to be the first to reach the counter. He grabbed something that looked like a cash box and stuffed it into his backpack.
Behind him, people immediately reached out to yank his backpack, and some grabbed his clothes to stop him from leaving.
Everyone knew if he had taken the cash box, there must be money inside.
Money... ever since the Federation people arrived, it quickly made people think of its importance and desire its existence.
Money was like a universal thing, a creation of the gods, because it could exchange for anything people wanted here.
Love?
Health?
Houses?
Delicacies?
Or anything else!
The people of Nagariel have never needed money more than now, and their desire for it is even more intense!
Struggling, the young man mingled into the crowd. There were so many people that within the blink of an eye, there was hardly anything left in the store.
He glanced at the second floor, where some people were using hammers or similar tools to destroy the iron gate leading upstairs.
Outside the shop, some people were throwing stones at the second floor, and a man’s screams could be heard from above.
Aken hesitated for a moment, then quickly left. He had already scored a cash box; there was no need to waste more time.
Once he opened the cash box, he would consider whether to continue.
He left the shop empty-handed, and the people outside didn’t care about him. They were busy looting the store.
He ran back home and used the stolen tools to pry open the cash box.
Inside, there was over sixty bucks. He hid the money and tossed the cash box aside.
This kind of life had gone on for several days. His family wasn’t surprised that he kept bringing back money or items.
The acceptance ability of Nagariel people was strong; they wouldn’t tell their children or family "don’t commit crimes," they’d just think... if you can bring stuff home, that’s your skill, nothing more needs to be said.
Aken once again hit the streets. There were fewer and fewer places left in town to loot; maybe these good days would end soon.
This time, he headed to a more prosperous area. As he passed by a store, he was attracted by the TV in the window.
This was the city center, where the security was noticeably strong, and there were even police patrolling the streets.
The street was crowded, and among them were people ready to act, just waiting for a "leader."
Looking at the TV in the window, Aken suddenly felt his home lacked such a TV. If he could bring it into his home, his family wouldn’t be so bored every night.
He circled the area several times, unable to find even a brick.
Reluctantly, he went further away, found a brick, and circled back.
Whether it was the chaos from the outskirts spreading into the city, the streets were growing more crowded, and the police seemed increasingly tense and sensitive.
He had just circled the appliance store twice and was questioned by the police multiple times.
Just as he was planning to wait until nightfall to act, suddenly he heard the sound of shattering glass from afar, instantly drawing the police’s attention.
It was like a black hole there, attracting everyone!
Aken didn’t go. He stood where he was and waited for the police to move further away. Then he took a stone from his backpack and threw it at the window!
That night, he returned home with a TV on his back, his family, surprised, came out to greet him.
He was lucky to get one, or maybe he was just quick enough to bring it back!
The honest, simple face covered in dust wore a pure and kind smile. His father ruffled his hair, his sister circled around him, and his mother was wiping the TV. He felt this was exactly how his family should live!
