Mmm.... sentenced to death by computer

**oraclesmith** · 13 September 2006, 19:17

What if you hacked it and got caught but they never found out what you'd done. Imagine their reaction when they ask the computer about your sentence (cue image of white-coated pebble-glasses chinese operator feeding punch cards into a hopper by a massive console and pressing some chunky buttons) and after a couple of minutes thought it comes up with 'Release'....

**_V_** · 13 September 2006, 19:58

Werease.

**CaribbeanPirate** · 13 September 2006, 20:09

This could be good news!

The only people who are insulated from the chill winds of outsourcing and immigrant labour are the lawyers. Most of the government are lawyers so if they see their own profession under threat they might possibly do something about it.

**mcquiggd** · 13 September 2006, 20:50

Now if Alexei were to write a REAL Super Killer Application, it would literally hand out death sentences. He could outsource justice to somewhere the human rights act doesn't apply, and then let the money roll in...

Form a partnership with those people who make sexual aids that are triggered remotely via USB, up the voltage sufficiently, and the whole thing could be done remotely.... and fine the family for the 'clean' up operation...

**Jay54** · 13 September 2006, 21:24

Originally posted by mcquiggd

"Criminals in China face being sent to the firing squad by a computer after the introduction of a software programme to help decide the sentences handed out by courts.

Judges are using computers equipped with a sophisticated legal database as an aid to determining punishments for 100 different crimes including robbery and rape by tapping in details of the crime and the mitigating circumstances.

The programme – nicknamed “penalty calculator” - then flashes up its recommended sentence on crimes including murder and stealing state secrets, which are punishable by death by firing squad in the communist nation."

"The death penalty can be given for 68 offences in China, including, bigamy, stealing petrol and tax evasion - and even computer hacking."

Can you imagine the eGov version... EDS adds a little function that equates to 'if (person.type == "contractor" && person.employer != "EDS") {penalty="death";}'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1811

Thank god i work in Bristol then!

**Flubster** · 13 September 2006, 21:27

Originally posted by mcquiggd

Now if Alexei were to write a REAL Super Killer Application, it would literally hand out death sentences.

Or he can just bore us to death...

**Alf W** · 13 September 2006, 21:44

If EDS are given the gig they'll all die of old age first.

**xoggoth** · 13 September 2006, 21:44

Good for the Chinese, that really is showing the intelligence they are supposed to have.

Naturally the useless overpaid bastards that work in it would disagree but you could replace almost all functions of the legal system with computer programs and not terribly sophisticated ones at that. The overpaid bastards would of course say that these issues are far too complex but in practice they are usually determined on only a very few key points, the idea that a judge actually weighs up and finely balances the merits of hundreds of issues is crap. Computers also have the advantage that they are not biased and will apply rules consistently.

The only downside I can think of is that the criminals could understand the system too well and would know exactly which circumstances would lead to a conviction and what to do to avoid one. Some inconsistency in sentencing may be a deterrent.

**oraclesmith** · 13 September 2006, 21:48

Originally posted by xoggoth

Some inconsistency in sentencing may be a deterrent.

Like a Senile_Judge() function which would kick in every so often and amend death sentences to 100 days community service.

Mmm.... sentenced to death by computer