[Thedragon]

This is a definition of vigilante justice.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vigilante

As most of us know, we are likely to encounter vigilante justice in the absence or partial collapse of our law and judicial systems.

Some of us have experienced or heard of this in historical natural disasters, and civil unrest.

As a survivalist or group (family or community), in the absence of state and federal authorised police, and the due process of the existing legal system, do you try to uphold the existing legal system as we know it or establish one to fit the situation?

Before you answer that, look at what are legally recognised as capital and minor crimes in todays national and international legal systems.

Another question is the range of penalties in todays legal systems.

Generally, convicted offenders for serious crimes are jailed, out of site and mind, funded by the taxpayer.

In a survival situation, this may not be practical in terms of human and material resources for such penalties.

In the same situation, redefining capital and minor crimes, their penalties, is in part a vigilante style justice system.

What is considered today as a minor crime ( stealing food ) could be considered a capital crime in a survival situation.

Vigilante justice is not only an external threat to survivalists. It could be a very real, probable internal justice system with redefinitions of penalties and crimes for some survivalists and groups.

Remember this is in a survival situation, without or partial collapse of the existing systems.

I do not endorse it, but it maybe a realistic problem we will face one day.

Your comments.

 

[vamelungeon]

A lot of my ancestors were Indians. They didn't have jails or the ability to build them. They dealt with offenders by ostracism, humiliation, mutilation and death.

 

[jordanmills]

In many states, it's legal for a citizen to make an arrest of a perpetrator in commission of a felony and hold them until they can be transferred to the custody of commissioned law enforcement and face justice. I'm no lawyer and I don't know the relevant legislation, but that would seem to be an easy solution. Anything less than a felony can be effectively dealt with through other means.

 

[temu]

It would probably be as in the former years...say like during the gold rush. Miners justice. I was talking to a neighbor the other day who has an old, one room stone building on his property, used to be the local tavern when the various camps were nearby. He is neighbor to a family who has had their homestead since those days. This old timer was telling him about when his old building was having the old original wood plank floor replaced...3 skeletal remains were found in shallow graves beneath the place; all with bullet holes in their skulls.
This was about 1910 he said. The local Sheriff was called out to have a look, but nothing came of it...let the sleeping dogs lie.
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