News report I'd like to read/hear.
Crime Stoppers Hilo announced that they are discontinuing cash rewards for information leading to an arrest/conviction. "Our new policy is to make an anonymous donation to an informant's favorite non-profit; the informant will receive an acknowledgment-thankyou letter from the non-profit."
A Crime Stopper spokesperson reports, “Paying citizens to act responsibly simply doesn't support personal responsibility; it is in fact oxymoronic."
A cash reward prevents an informant from experiencing the benefits that come from choosing to be responsible; instead, they are partially/wholly motivated by money. The cash rewards system supports deception and sneakiness.
When someone who knows something about a crime remains silent they appropriately experience the karmic consequences of their non-verbal communication, of thwarting their own community and police by remaining silent.
Ironically, rewarding an informant supports him/her in ripping off the community for personal gain and so they too appropriately reap the consequences of having charged his/her fellow citizens a fee for being a “good” citizen. The premise being, a good deed doesn't require rationalization, explanation, or justification, nor does it warrant a reward.
We're trusting our new policy is an idea whose time has come, that the community will value and support this decision.”
Check back occasionally for additions/edits/corrections.
Last edited 11/13/24
