>>Attempted murder is a crime. Trying and failing to steal a car is a crime. I see no reason why attempted child abuse shouldn't also be a crime.
So should stabbing a mannequin should also be treated as murder, if the person doing the stabbing was 100% convinced that it was a real person? Or an attempt to break into a car made out of cardboard treated as an actual robbery,if the thief was 100% convinced it was a real thing before trying it?
I want all child molesters to rot in prison forever. I really do. But there was no children present here.
There should be nothing wrong with thinking about crime. Openly discussing and planning a crime...well, that depends on a lot of factors, but there's certainly situations where it should be fine, e.g. kids idly fantasizing about blowing away a school bully without any real means or intention to do so.
But when someone honestly and to the best of their ability attempts to commit a serious crime like murder or child abuse, then yes, absolutely they should be prosecuted. If someone attempts to kill me but screws it up, I don't want them walking free to try again and again until they get it right.
Also bear in mind that, at least in the US, "murder" and "attempted murder" are different crimes, and I'm okay with that.
Yes, that's basically the legal argument being made (by, I assume, people who aren't lawyers).
It's controversial, but it's definitely accepted in some jurisdictions. Police have, in fact, nabbed car thieves using honeypot "broken down cars" on the sides of freeways.
Personal opinion: someone stabbing a mannequin with the intent to murder a real person should be charged with attempted homicide. IANAL. ;)
So should stabbing a mannequin should also be treated as murder, if the person doing the stabbing was 100% convinced that it was a real person? Or an attempt to break into a car made out of cardboard treated as an actual robbery,if the thief was 100% convinced it was a real thing before trying it?
I want all child molesters to rot in prison forever. I really do. But there was no children present here.