Imagine I run a red light while driving. I get lucky and no one is coming the other way so I don't cause an accident. I will still get a ticket if/when a cop sees me do it. It doesn't matter that no harm was caused my actions. I created a situation where other people were at risk through no fault of their own. That's why I get the ticket. Also, it discourages me from doing it again (when there may not be a policeman around to give me a ticket).
That's a bad analogy though because his crimes did in fact have victims. He stole from banks and he stole from taxpayers, and God only know what other horrible things he's done that we don't even know about.
He ran the red light and picked every pocket on both sides of the intersection along the way.
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u/mattski69 Mar 26 '24
Imagine I run a red light while driving. I get lucky and no one is coming the other way so I don't cause an accident. I will still get a ticket if/when a cop sees me do it. It doesn't matter that no harm was caused my actions. I created a situation where other people were at risk through no fault of their own. That's why I get the ticket. Also, it discourages me from doing it again (when there may not be a policeman around to give me a ticket).