Crime and Punishment

The Cyberian Injustice System recognizes two kinds of crimes.

Harmful crimes, known as felonies, are punished by imprisonment and forced labor.

Irritating crimes, known as misdemeanors, are fined. Misdemeanor fines are another major source of revenue, and help keep taxes to a minimum.

Cyberia invites criminals to pay for their crimes in advance, thereby getting a discount on the punishment, as summarized in the following slogans:

For misdemeanors: Pay the fine; cross the line.

For felonies: Do the time; commit the crime.

The standard discount for advance payment is 75%.

For example, suppose a certain person irritates you beyond all measure. You decide to kill the person. The discount punishment for murder is 40 years of incarceration. (The full punishment is 160 years of incarceration.)

There are trade-offs involved, however, in the case of felonies.

You must fill out a form clearly identifying your intended victim, who is then notified. Self-defense is permitted for designated victims. In other words, your designated victim is allowed to try to kill you before you get him or her.

This process can be hazardous to innocent bystanders. On the other hand, it provides a lot of reality-TV like entertainment for innocent bystanders who are lucky enough to survive.

Misdemeanors are handled by fines. Each year, the Cyberia government, through public opinion surveys, elections, market research, and demented decision making creates a list of irritating behaviors. Each citizen has a week to study the list and then obtain licenses permitting desired irritating behavior. Just as in Ordinaria, you have to put up with irritating behavior; however, you have the consolation of knowing your taxes are lower because your neighbor is walking down the street playing rap music on his boom box at an earsplitting volume.

An example of a misdemeanor would be using your cell phone in public places such as restaurants. For an advance payment of $100/year, you receive a license allowing you public use of your cell phone for a year. If you use your cell phone in a public place without a license, you pay a fine of $400 and then are granted a license.

(Exceptions are made for genuine emergencies, such as reporting a fire. However, you are not supposed to start a fire just so you can amuse yourself by calling the fire department on your mobile phone.)

Citizens are then allowed to purchase licenses to engage in irritating behavior.

Some infractions are joint felony/misdemeanors. Many traffic infractions fall into this category. For example, changing lanes without using a turn signal does cause some danger (thus being a felony), but on an everyday basis mostly causes irritation. The ratio is probably 1000/1 of irritation to harm.

Thus a person who can't stand making turn signals can get a license (including an identifying sign for his or her vehicle) permitting signal-less lane changes. The fine is a day in jail and a $1000 fine. As is standard, the punishment is quadrupled if performed without an advance license.

As you can see, Cyberia reduces taxes through several methods: government jobs are auctioned to the highest bidder, bribery is public and above-board and goes into the general fund, and misdemeanor penalties for irritating behavior also serve to pay for government expenses.