THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF CRIME PLUS ONE con't
The good news is that, if you plan your crime carefully and do it right, there is a good chance you can escape detection, hold onto your ill-gotten gains, and live happily ever after. Even if you get caught doing it right, there is a good chance you won't spend all that much time in jail. The time you do spend also will not be that terrible. In most civilized countries, you would serve your sentence in a minimum security facility similar to a military base. You would be in the company of other nonviolent inmates. If you were careful with what you did with your ill-gotten gains, there is a good chance the state will not be able to take the money away from you.
Or you could do the bad deed and flee the country. If this is done right, you might elude the authorities. Law enforcement agencies in every country are finding themselves swamped with a multitude of cases. Prisons are filling up to well beyond their maximum capacities. Some prisons worldwide now hold two to three times the number of inmates they were designed to hold. Governments all over the world are left in a position where they are forced to give early releases or to allow prisoners to serve their sentences at home under so-called "house arrest" or "electronic surveillance," thereby avoiding prison altogether.
But here comes some bad news for the criminally inclined among us. Anywhere you are in the world, the state will always have vastly more power and money than you do. Law enforcement agencies will always have lots of armed men and women ready to chase you and hold you in custody. These people collectively always have lots of experience in investigating and prosecuting criminal cases. These civil servants also take a dim view of stealing and other illegal activities. They realize that if lawlessness get out of control, the whole fabric of society would collapse.
We are all fed a huge line of propaganda that "crime does not pay." Offenders are diligently chased by law enforcement agencies. Their capture and subsequent trial lead to media coverage. The offender is totally humiliated. The stem judge explains that he must deter others from similar conduct by sentencing the offender to a long prison term.
There is even worse news. You do not have to commit a crime to get this kind of royal treatment from the state. Attempting to commit a crime will get you this attention and treatment from the state. In countries like the United States with highly developed and draconian conspiracy laws, even discussing the possibility of committing a crime can land you in prison for many years or even get you a sentence of life without parole.
Let me give you a quick example to illustrate this point. Some years ago, I was at a federal prison camp in the United States. There was as inmate there who had served two years for simple possession of cocaine. He was released on parole. He promptly started talking to an old crime partner about the possibility of importing two kilograms of cocaine into the United States and selling it. His "good friend" turned out to be an undercover informant.
The hapless young man was arrested by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He was charged with conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine. Now remember, all he did was talk about the possibility of importing and selling the drugs. He never put his hands on any cocaine or made any overt action to carry out his plan.
He was taken to court and found guilty. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with no chance of parole. He will have to serve 15 years before being released. Do not end up in this position! You surely will, if you do not know what you are doing.
If and when you do decide to commit a crime, the vast power of the state will be deployed against you. You will be put in the position of a Biblical David forced to do battle with the nine-foot-tall invincible Goliath. But this does not create a hopeless situation.
You will not be the only "customer" the state will have to deal with. Crime rates are skyrocketing worldwide. Police and prison personnel are overwhelmed. This is because many states are running out of money to build new prisons. There are definitely chinks in Goliath's armor. As this book unfolds, you will learn about all these various "chinks." You will become the legendary David. You will learn how to thwart and defeat the giant.
Movies and television programs often portray criminals as leading glamorous and exciting lives, full of danger and suspense with a bit of comedy relief mixed in. Sometimes the vision of Robin Hood is conjured up. The daring and swashbuckling hero is seen stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, enjoying "rolls in the hay" with Maid Marian, and constantly outwitting the Sheriff of Nottingham.
The reality of a criminal's life, of course, is vastly different. Crime is a dirty business. There are no ladies and gentlemen or nice guys on either side of the law. Lying, deceit and dirty games are a way of life. The pressures are always intense. The authorities can afford to make a multitude of mistakes, but you cannot afford to make a single mistake.
