Trading cards with sections of local, state and federal legal code. Collect all the sets!
The front of the card would have a drawing representing the code violation, an icon indicating the type (civil, criminal, traffic, etc) of law the card relates to and typical sentencing information (Fine: $10 - $75 /or/ Incarceraton: 5-10 years). The back of the card has the legal code in quesiton (or a portion thereof).
The cards can be acquired in packs from any law enforcement agency. Additionally, when someone breaks the law they are given a card (or cards) representing the laws they violated. Exceptions are made when the perpetrator might profit from acquiring the card. In these cases, the card is given to the victim(s) of the crime so it can be used for renumeration.
Obviously some cards would be more common (Speeding, Illegal Parking) and some more rare (Capital Murder, Sodomy), so the value of any card would be set by supply and demand. Profits from law enforcement sales would go to the law enforcement agency.
Eventually, there would be international sets so we can compare and contrast our laws with those of other countries (China - Speaking out against the Communist Party: Life in prison / Afganistan - Female displays ankle: 40 lashes with a rod).-- phoenix, Oct 31 2001 Some unusual laws http://www.datingfu.../trivia/sexlaws.asp [hippo, Oct 31 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004] Various UK laws for [pottedstu] http://www.dumblaws...ntries/england.htmlIn Liverpool, "It is illegal for a woman to be topless in public except as a clerk in a tropical fish store" [hippo, Oct 31 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004] Trumperama http://www.trumperama.co.uk/Top Trumps galore (see catalogue: Latest ... Winning Moves for the ones I mention.) [pottedstu, Oct 31 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004] Pfft. If I'd wanted a Murder 1 card, I'd go out and cut someone up - no supply and demand forces at work there... oh--- sdm, Oct 31 2001 What'll you give me for 'Regicide'? (and no using 'English Common Law' as a trump card either).-- hippo, Nov 01 2001 It's the "collect the set" aspect that scares me. Would I have to commit sodomy with the wife of the heir to the throne (high treason) having illegally gained entry to a government research facility by kidnapping the doormen, then, high on a cocktail of cocaine and red wine, drive very fast with bald tyres through lots of red lights to escape, and finally be caught in an ambush naked save for a"F*** Buddha" T-shirt and with some donkey porn and a lipstick I nicked from Woolworths?
Not that that has ever happened to me?-- pottedstu, Nov 01 2001 [pottedstu] You'd be wasting your time - In the UK anal sex is now legal (since 1997) as is having sex with the consort of the monarch (since 1998). Lucky I told you, eh?Also, Woolworth's doesn't stock donkey porn (apparantly).-- hippo, Nov 01 2001 hippo: thanks for the warning. And making your own donkey porn is probably much more illegal anyway. <considers implications of that statement> What about ignoring "Keep off the grass signs?" Do park by-laws count?
Back to the original idea. I've been checking out an excellent website on Top Trumps, the fun game played with collectible cards. There don't seem to be any legal-themed editions, although there are sets based around Pop Groups, Spiders and The Simpsons, so you might find some of them not too far away from the criminal.
Sample cards:
Extortion Sentence: 25 years Chance of being killed by rival convicts: 15 % Chance of subsequent media career: 50 % Police clear-up rate: 60 %
Stealing a croissant Sentence: 1 week Chance of being killed by rival convicts: 5 % Chance of subsequent media career: 0 % Police clear-up rate: 30 %
Posting embarrassing annos on 1/2B Sentence: life (on 1/2B) Chance of being killed by rival convicts: 99 % Chance of subsequent media career: 100 % * Police clear-up rate: 100 %
* this is media, innit?
"Ha ha, my 'grand larceny' beats your 'making dead baby jokes' card. Hand it over."-- pottedstu, Nov 01 2001 Nice, [pottedstu]. Curiously enough, I last played Top Trumps in August - the holiday cottage we were staying in was equipped with a few sets.-- hippo, Nov 01 2001 What about future laws that are yet to be implemented, such as various computer crimes or time travel murder?-- mrkillboy, Nov 02 2001 <pa>trumps</pa>-- DrBob, Nov 02 2001 random, halfbakery