[MichaelZuo]

In Brazil there are so many laws, I heard that nearly 100% of the population treats laws like strongly worded suggestions, at best.

Idk how the prosecution system even functions without credibility.

[mcdonje]

If it operates like most corrupt systems, it binds the have-nots, but not the haves.

[MichaelZuo]

How can this be true?

Probably the entire adult population gets away with hundreds of offenses per annum on average (judging by the total amount on the books).

Even the most law abiding and most humble decile of Brazilian adults probably still get away with dozens of offenses per annum. That nobody cares to enforce at all.

[manarth]

    > "That nobody cares to enforce at all"

That's the point. When everyone is "committing crimes", you can select who you wish to enforce against. It enables corruption.

[MichaelZuo]

Huh?

Did you not understand what it means for even the most humble adult to be getting away with dozens of offenses per annum?

It clearly is not binding on the “have-nots” either.

Of course there is selective enforcement of some % of laws on the books, that’s true in every country on Earth.

[manarth]

Selective enforcement allows those in power to corruptly select who to prosecute. Even though many (perhaps most) "have-nots" will "get away with it", selective enforcement disproportionately impacts the "have-nots" as they have no leverage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_enforcement

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/police-corruptio...

[MichaelZuo]

I know? I was the one who wrote that there could be hundreds on average, and dozens for a smaller subset.

That already implies a huge variation.

Edit: But it still doesn’t “bind” anyone in Brazil in the strict sense. At most, it goes from very loose to extremely loose.

[matheusmoreira]

It's the usual "criminalize everyone then selectively enforce when politically convenient" corruption.