[Avodah] halachic attitude to the convicted

[Zev Sero]

Micha Berger wrote:

> Both Sanhedrin and non-Jewish gov't are halachically obligated to create
> a safe society through law and punishment. This was the question I asked
> earlier that I didn't notice anyone addressing. If the person in question
> was found guilty of a crime that threatens the safety of society, is his
> imprisonment a case requiring pidyon shevuyim?

Since it is permitted to inform on someone who poses a threat to the
community, it makes no sense to claim that one must then get him
released!

But that requires a determination that the person actually does pose such
a threat, not merely that he has been convicted of a crime which has been
put into a category of "crimes that affect public safety".  Labels don't
change reality.

-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher