[Crash_00]

I'm not saying that 90% of Downtown is going to be a freeshoot zone, nor are the better parts of the barrens, but if you actually go into the barrens (ie past touristville) that SIN population count is going  to drop like a rock.

But for the sake of argument, let's say you are in downtown. Most high security neighborhoods require public broadcast of you SIN information. Depending on your game style, this could be a minor offense to not do, but it is just as interpretable (especially for us dystopian loving people) that it is a major offense and is akin to running around with metal cylinders on a vest as far as cops are for determining if you're a threat. Even if you are a civilian, being a threat to society will get you shot.

Now let's go one step further. Let's say that that guy you shot was a corp citizen. What soil was he on when you shot him? If he's a SK SINner shot by a Lone Star SINner on UCAS soil, that legal battle is going to be so long and irritating, that SK is likely to not pursue it unless he happened to be someone very important (in which case, why didn't he have security personnel for protection and have his comm broadcasting).

Even on UCAS soil, most people are going to have a hard time actually getting together the money to go after a corp for a lawsuit, especially by SR standards where the average citizens pay is barely enough to scrape by.

[under_score]

Looking at Seattle 2072, I see that 89% of the downtown population is corporate affiliated (i.e. have SINs). 

And my team will be working out of downtown (not to say that their investigations will not sometimes lead them to Bellevue, Fort Lewis, Puyallup, and even Redmond. 

I'm definitely going to be playing with the Lone Star is a corp and therefore is concerned about succeeding as a business, not justice.  However, individuals within Lone Star (including some of the PCs bosses in the Enforcement arm of the company) may be concerned with justice.  I'm sure some of the people who got jobs with LS had morals and ideals going into it. 

But there will be pressure from the Corporate Arm of the company to "solve cases" and "fight crime" not find justice.  LS is at risk of losing its Seattle contract, so killing citizens in a shootout will definitely get you reprimanded, at least (and their direct supervisor will be threatening them with transfer to the Redmond precinct before they even get their first case).  But if they get rough with some SINless witnesses and/or suspects, their bosses won't be at all unhappy...especially if it leads to arrests and good PR. 

[CitizenJoe]

Most high security neighborhoods require public broadcast of you SIN information.

Really?  Which ones.  I totally need a couple hundred SINs for my identity theft scam...  Hey, they're probably rich too... Jackpot!

[under_score]

Most high security neighborhoods require public broadcast of you SIN information.

Really?  Which ones.  I totally need a couple hundred SINs for my identity theft scam...  Hey, they're probably rich too... Jackpot!

Check out Runner's Companion page 157 for some discussion of this. 

[Bruce]

Some RL examples...

Officers can hold people until the person's identity is verified to the OFFICER's satisfaction.  In 2072, there's probably a bureaucratic formula they have to follow, though.

Shooting people is usually a bad idea, even for Lone Star.  Remember Murphy; he's an employee in every company at the lower levels.  One, there's always a chance of some media group deciding to do an 'expose' of bungling cops, and guess who the lucky guys to be fired to satisfy public demands will be?  Two, you never know really who you might be shooting.  Sure, that trog ganger might be up to no good; but he might also be someone's CI (confidential informant).  Drekking off a high-level detective/supervisor is not a good career move.  Three, it's in everyone's best interest (everyone being Lone Star) for Lone Star not to be known for shooting people who don't resist with guns/lethal implements.  Sure, you may have smartgun(tm) links; but do the gangers shooting back?  And if Lone Star gets that 'gun-happy' rep on the streets, you can bet everyone will be taking shots.  Whereas if it's known that they beat you up, but don't shoot you, (unless you get stupid) a lot of street types will run but not shoot Stars.  This makes for happeir co-workers.

That said, there's a lot the business of justice can do.  Getting convictions for crimes is good; even if the guy you nabbed isn't guilty of that particular car-jacking, he's guilty of something, right?  Find it and book him.  Set goals for your officers; 'We need 50 muggers busted by the end of the month'.  Encourage (and reward) 'creative' methods of solving cases and proving guilt (as long as it can't be proven the officer did anything wrong).  Illicit entry?  No; you saw a crime in progress.  Profiling?  No, you witnessed the perps committing a traffic violation.  And have the superiors get on the officers about complex, long cases.  "Look, it's better to have 5 convictions for burglary in a month than one homicide conviction in three months.  Until this guy kills someone important, stop wasting time on the investigation."

[CitizenJoe]

That said, there's a lot the business of justice can do.  Getting convictions for crimes is good; even if the guy you nabbed isn't guilty of that particular car-jacking, he's guilty of something, right?  Find it and book him.  Set goals for your officers; 'We need 50 muggers busted by the end of the month'.  Encourage (and reward) 'creative' methods of solving cases and proving guilt (as long as it can't be proven the officer did anything wrong).  Illicit entry?  No; you saw a crime in progress.  Profiling?  No, you witnessed the perps committing a traffic violation.  And have the superiors get on the officers about complex, long cases.  "Look, it's better to have 5 convictions for burglary in a month than one homicide conviction in three months.  Until this guy kills someone important, stop wasting time on the investigation."

This is how I see a private law enforcement company working.  Five petty crimes solved is five in the win column.  1 murder is still just one win.  And it's only a win if you get the conviction.  Murders are notoriously long court cases.  Take the low hanging fruit, after all, Capone got nailed on mail fraud.