Witness to a Crime

It would be best to check the "Good Samaritan" laws in your state before you intervene. At times, intervention can make you liable. Also, most people do not know where the lines are drawn and stick their noses into issues they cannot possibly understand. For instance, nowhere in this country are you obligated by law to intervene. If you do intervene, you are responsible for the natural outcomes of your intervention. If you move a person with a broken neck and she or her becomes paralyzed for life, that person can sue your ass ... and win!

If you see a purse snatcher running away from a crime and tackle him and cause him grievous bodily harm, he can sue you - even if he is commiting a crime and is found guilty. He will be arrested but you are open to a law suit! You do not have police powers to arrest so if you detain him, you better do it with care and kindness unless he is resisting and your life or someone else's is in legal immediate danger.

Would I intervene? Yes. I already have done so several times in my life. Successfully. But I know what I am doing. I spent much of my career working with felons, lunatics, rage-aholics and dope fiends. I knew where the line was drawn for every action I ever took. Did I cross the lines? Absolutely. But try proving it! What I never did was render more than minimal aid. I called 911 and let the pros take care of everything medical and legal except making the victim comfortable. I did not give advice to her to taske any measures, legal, medical or social. I simply interfered with the commission of a crime and did it in such a manner as not to increase the danger to the victim or myself.

You know the old saying: No good deed goes unpunished! It is true, true, true.

Well said, Milt. Sad, but true. Personally, I am not afraid of 'punishment' (teehee, I kindof like it...), I try to live my life doing the best I possibly can, and let the cards fall where they may. Perhaps I will one day live to regret that..or not.

JackieRodzinski

TheInquiringEye

Let's see if I can remember to answer all the things you have asked...

An anonomous call would be best. In most cases it is best to keep the "tipster" part unknown. The people get the help they may not be willing to ask for because they are caught up in a destructive, dangerous relationship and in too deep to see the real dangers that already exist, and I would not have to be dragged into a useless battle of "why" I interfered, with the codependant victim.

As for the second case, I would take Dog the Bounty Hunter's attitude toward drug addiction resulting in abuse, crime etc. I would be helping both parties if I did call police. The 19yr old would be able to get needed help with her addiction and learn the penalities of drug abuse and breaking the law as would her abusive male "friend". Some times jail or prison is the only way some will have the "dawn of reality" hit them. Time for them to really think and evaluated their life up until their jail time. Some have to go back several times to "get it" and some never do "get it". Sad, but true.

Some times, "helping" actually hurts people. They call that codependency. I have learned from reading a lot on that. I tend to want to help everyone....not always the answer!

shit my post didnt come thru---testing testing

fine! hey jackie,

--very quick evaluation of situation-then-order a galker to call cops if its serious

#1 when confronted with violence first choice is always to diffuse situation if possible. not to be a jerk but im reely good at this-lots of practice.

If i cant talk them down/ and someone is in eminate danger of serious injury- shit-yes i do step up.

Theworst thats ever hapened is broken ribs.

Quick,acurate evaluation is oh so important BEFORE action

wepons,incredible mismatch,already serious injurys etc.(how fricken big they are or if they are cranked up,gives me a pretty good idea of how much of a mark its going to leave)

Keep re eveluateing situation while interveaning,watch for Any opertunity to difuse.

Do not loose temper/accelerate already bad situation.

hope for a harmonious outcome!

great questions jac-back later

suzan/dodger

..,,

the boulder cops suggest that citizens refrain from taking the law into their own hands and call law enforcement. there was a rash of burglaries here and citizens hurt themselves chasing down the perps.

i'd tend to a victim until authorities arrive.

It would be very unlikely that I'd have the physical capacity to intervene successfully, so I'd skip that in most cases. If I see something that I think may turn into a crime I generally stop what I'm doing and make it very clear that I'm watching, and will step in (verbally)/and or call the authorities if necessary. That alone seems to cause most people to re-evaluate and stop their craziness. Would I call the cops if asked not to? -Yes. If an attacker is harming one person, the likelihood is he will harm others in the future unless stopped. The current victim really doesn't have the right to put additional people in danger by doing nothing. I would certainly advise the police of the victims concerns for his/her safety though. And, I would make sure the police knew I was keeping a copy of what I was telling them, so if they screw up they'd have to answer. Not to mention the fact that I may need to refer to it in the future.