Legal System

Bob Murphy and Stephan Kinsella discuss the basis of libertarian law, and how we could have justice without a coercive State.

Victories against the drug war have all come first at the local level, and only then does the national government slowly back off its drive to dictate to Americans what they can eat or smoke.

Virtually all laws involve "legislating morality." When people use this phrase they often really just mean "I want laws to back my version of morality, not yours."

Fewer than half the homicides in the US end with a conviction in court. The rate for other violent crimes is even worse. Meanwhile, 80 percent of arrests are for petty offenses.

Homicide trends in America are driven by deeply entrenched historical and cultural factors that extend far beyond the prevalence of gun ownership.

In addition to having no obligation to intervene to protect the public, government law-enforcement agencies are protected by many layers of formal immunity which allow them to both abuse their power and neglect their duties without any significant repercussions to themselves or to budgets.

Because enforced contract law and full property rights are the foundations of freedom, governance systems should be based on enforceable contracts that defend property rights.

When it comes to school safety, a good place to start is by allowing local jurisdictions to reassert local control in their own communities.

There is no evidence that properly trained and armed private citizens would do a worse job than government "law enforcement" personnel in enhancing school safety.

Given the government's terrible record in capturing and punishing real criminals, while devoting ever-more resources to punishing tax evasion, it appears the government cares more about the pursuit of tax thieves than providing justice for victims of violent crime.