Show intent thing thino THERE haa has been somo some criticism of a california court because it aa 0 A mimed thai that it was the intent of an avocado hijacker to steil more blun worth of frint mid and sentenced him for intent to commit larceny instead of petit larceny he ile had bad sacks with mith him sufficient to hold moro than worth of the fruit and may reasonably be sup posed r have intended io fill them all As a matter of fact our absolute financial lino line beti between seen grand and rind petit larceny is an absurdity th s debrea of menace menice to society by one who ches es by crime is not determined ter mined by any specific act particularly if theft is the form of crime one who ho fite alst 10 today will steal 1000 tomorrow if he is able so aar far e y 4 cic cie safety and protection of society is concerned the intent is tho the most important part of a crime bet et we confider con hider it tho the least wo we hai 1 e a system of punishment for specific acts very tery crud s ly arranged I 1 ti represent the debee of menace to society the act involved in it is clear that one who attempts a serious crimo crime and fails h IP ii potential a menace to society as one who ulio succeeds and from tho the viewpoint of protection should be dealt with exactly as though he be had bad succeeded it is because our penalties are based upon punishment uth ment and not upon protection that wo we emphasize success in that way if a man deliberately claws a murder and carries 0 cit at his plan and his hil victim dies we vc call it murder but if by reason of pbs physical strength or some other cause ion er which the criminal had no con arol whatever tie tle victim recovers it is only manslaughter that is iq utterly illogical from the pro teethe point of il view i cir one is as potent to society ali the oilier other we Wei should hould get au ass a from these fine distinctions between classes and degree of cranes ermes and biso bise our action upon the intent of the criminal what society needs is protection from the one A ho intends to ra caage age it rt gard less of how maii success he lie may have had bad in putting that intent into execution |