Could bitcoin prevent crime?

[aso118]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

   Nothing can prevent crime, that is sad truth. There is too many people who wish to earn a lot without hard work, they turn to criminal because there is high risk of losing freedom but profit is also high with minimal efforts.
   Bitcoin is just a currency, and bitcoin cant prevent people from using this currency for their needs, whether they are legal or illegal.

If the risk of getting away is minimal and the penalties are high, criminals will think twice before committing crimes.
The question is will Bitcoin aid in that? I don't think so unless its adoption is universal.

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[thepo1m]

Nothing can prevent crime, even some of those going after criminals are criminals, like the police that confisticate Bitcoin and stole some of it.

Bitcoin can facilitates crime, that is the negative side of it and that is why it is a darling of Dark markets and even some hackers

[Vikingr]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

   Nothing can prevent crime, that is sad truth. There is too many people who wish to earn a lot without hard work, they turn to criminal because there is high risk of losing freedom but profit is also high with minimal efforts.
   Bitcoin is just a currency, and bitcoin cant prevent people from using this currency for their needs, whether they are legal or illegal.

Those people who are doing crimes are not those who are seeking for to earn money without any hard work but these are people who do not have any job or work for to earn money to fulfill their needs and these people are convinced by some bad company to start crimes. So I think bitcoin can stop crimes because if a person will be unemployment then he will have a chance to earn some money from bitcoin.

[Ipwich]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

   Nothing can prevent crime, that is sad truth. There is too many people who wish to earn a lot without hard work, they turn to criminal because there is high risk of losing freedom but profit is also high with minimal efforts.
   Bitcoin is just a currency, and bitcoin cant prevent people from using this currency for their needs, whether they are legal or illegal.

Those people who are doing crimes are not those who are seeking for to earn money without any hard work but these are people who do not have any job or work for to earn money to fulfill their needs and these people are convinced by some bad company to start crimes. So I think bitcoin can stop crimes because if a person will be unemployment then he will have a chance to earn some money from bitcoin.

Many situations happening to people who are indesperate of finding money just to sustain their needs have to do crime in order for them to find money.That is so rampant to those country who have lots of jobless people,the best solution is that their must be job for everyone.If someone who is oriented and know how to earn bitcoin and if that person previously indesperate need of money then there's the possibility that his interest really matters on how to earn money in a good way then possibly bitcoin prevent crime.Because it is really interesting to earn bitcoin of someone who is seeking to have an income.

[Clement Kaliyar]

Could bitcoin prevent crime?
I believe Bitcoin transactions via online wallets could prevent crime. People are going to use Bitcoin for legal and illegal transactions, however criminal transactions are susceptible to crime as cash is used for the transaction...which encourages theft. If bitcoin were used for these shady transactions, perhaps with escrow, there would be no opportunity to steal currency - couldn't this prevent crime?

I am certainly not sure about what you are really thinking when you are writing this up ,you mentioned online wallets does that mean online wallet providers ,if it is the other way round then hope you have heard about hacking of bitcoin wallets and exchanges and hope you know that it is a crime where ever you do , so the fact of the matter is if some one intends to do a crime he will do it irrespective of the currency he is using .

[TastyChillySauce00]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

Assuming you're not being sarcastic or whatever. Silkroad is an anonymous marketplace which often used for illegal transactions such as buying and selling drugs, any illegal goods, and so on which accept bitcoin as a payment method, therefore, it's also considered as a marketplace which could trigger criminal activities among bitcoin users over the world and now have been taken down by the FBI as I've heard from the media.

[stomachgrowls]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

Assuming you're not being sarcastic or whatever. Silkroad is an anonymous marketplace which often used for illegal transactions such as buying and selling drugs, any illegal goods, and so on which accept bitcoin as a payment method, therefore, it's also considered as a marketplace which could trigger criminal activities among bitcoin users over the world and now have been taken down by the FBI as I've heard from the media.

I have read the same thing too regarding silk road its being taken down by FBI but still there are marketplaces pop out the same as silkroad which means they cant really stop those illegal marketplace because it is really profitable for them.Bitcoin couldnt prevent crime because of its anonymity.

[machinek20]

I dont think bitcoin can prevent any crime because it was designed to help the transaction and give the people freedom to used globally, in my opinion actually it increase crime but in a secret way, like example the country forbid the citizen to gamble, but you can easily find bitcoin casino and gamble using bitcoin

[BitcoinPanther]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

Assuming you're not being sarcastic or whatever. Silkroad is an anonymous marketplace which often used for illegal transactions such as buying and selling drugs, any illegal goods, and so on which accept bitcoin as a payment method, therefore, it's also considered as a marketplace which could trigger criminal activities among bitcoin users over the world and now have been taken down by the FBI as I've heard from the media.

Indeed, it can track down criminals because as FBI said Bitcoin is not anonymous.  But tracking down cannot prevent crimes because crime need to be executed before a person become a criminal, maybe the future crime
I think this is worth reading : http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-cops-criminals/

[Daniel91]

I don't think so.
In fact, even in my country, I already heard a few stories how criminals, drug dealers, used bitcoin for their crime.
They bought drugs from the dark web, with bitcoin and sold later in my country.
Bitcoin is decentralized, anonymous, so it's impossible to keep track of criminals.
So, in fact, bitcoin is perfect tool now for criminals.

[webtricks]

Crime can be in sense of violence or theft and  laundering.

Case 1 - Violence
Yes, Bitcoin can prevent crime as people don't need to travel with cash. Theft will be decreased. But in this sense too, Bitcoin has no difference than other cashless means.

Case 2 - Laundering
I hardly feel Bitcoin can prevent money manipulation. Rather, its anonymity behaviour entertain such crimes.

[nara1892]

Could bitcoin prevent crime?

I believe Bitcoin transactions via online wallets could prevent crime. People are going to use Bitcoin for legal and illegal transactions, however criminal transactions are susceptible to crime as cash is used for the transaction...which encourages theft. If bitcoin were used for these shady transactions, perhaps with escrow, there would be no opportunity to steal currency - couldn't this prevent crime? (Aside from the original criminal transaction of course!)

it works for honest people, but for those who do criminals, I think it will not work. why? because they sometimes do not want to use an escrow. I've ever seen a campaign (if I am not mistaken) or a service thread asked people to do something without an escrow, then a few people trusted it, and finally it was a scam. so even we have escrows, it does not mean they can prevent criminals.

[nelson4lov]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

   Nothing can prevent crime, that is sad truth. There is too many people who wish to earn a lot without hard work, they turn to criminal because there is high risk of losing freedom but profit is also high with minimal efforts.
   Bitcoin is just a currency, and bitcoin cant prevent people from using this currency for their needs, whether they are legal or illegal.

Crimes generally Ponzi, Hyip and other Schemes have been on the rise for some time now. I believe that  Since Bitcoin makes it easy to send payments faster, Illegal schemes can utilize bitcoin's feature to make their operation smooth and the identity of the Scheme operators are unknown. So I agree with you Crime will still be there despite the fact that bitcoin is Secured, Users need to take security into their own hands and ensure safe use of their funds.

[Zadicar]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

   Nothing can prevent crime, that is sad truth. There is too many people who wish to earn a lot without hard work, they turn to criminal because there is high risk of losing freedom but profit is also high with minimal efforts.
   Bitcoin is just a currency, and bitcoin cant prevent people from using this currency for their needs, whether they are legal or illegal.

Crimes generally Ponzi, Hyip and other Schemes have been on the rise for some time now. I believe that  Since Bitcoin makes it easy to send payments faster, Illegal schemes can utilize bitcoin's feature to make their operation smooth and the identity of the Scheme operators are unknown. So I agree with you Crime will still be there despite the fact that bitcoin is Secured, Users need to take security into their own hands and ensure safe use of their funds.

We should really be responsible on our money/funds because bitcoin transactions are fast and secure but anonymity has its own problem which its being used by people to do crime and you are right ponzi hyip and other scam schemes do really pop out every now and then.

[serjent05]

Just the opposite OP it facilitates crime.  Have you ever heard of Silk Road?

You mean the Silk Road, which appeared in the Golden Age, and served as a transport route across Eurasia?

   Nothing can prevent crime, that is sad truth. There is too many people who wish to earn a lot without hard work, they turn to criminal because there is high risk of losing freedom but profit is also high with minimal efforts.
   Bitcoin is just a currency, and bitcoin cant prevent people from using this currency for their needs, whether they are legal or illegal.

Crimes generally Ponzi, Hyip and other Schemes have been on the rise for some time now. I believe that  Since Bitcoin makes it easy to send payments faster, Illegal schemes can utilize bitcoin's feature to make their operation smooth and the identity of the Scheme operators are unknown. So I agree with you Crime will still be there despite the fact that bitcoin is Secured, Users need to take security into their own hands and ensure safe use of their funds.

Well the error is on the persons side who happen to be overwhelmed by greed and forget about the possibility of scam.  They let greed takeover them making them blind to see the scam that is taking place that time.  So there is no hacking or force being used there.  They just simply giveaway their bitcoin willingly LOL.   But still even with all this bitcoin security, it cannot prevent crimes.

[ranochigo]

Apparently, majority of the posters before me didn't read the post at all.

Sorry, let me rephrase - not prevent crime exactly, but prevent violence during criminal transactions.

In a criminal transaction Escrow would be the safest option because if the escrow jets with the money he'll have two criminals after him, not just one!

If I were buying something face-to-face, you can easily just put a knife to my face and I would probably send you my Bitcoins. Just don't bring too much with you.
You can't track Bitcoins, if you were to use an escrow, the escrow probably won't reveal his/her identity. If they do, the escrow could be in danger if either of the criminals decides to attack him.

[dothebeats]

Why would it prevent such things in the first place when bitcoin itself is being used by illegal traders and criminals to use in hiding stolen goods and whatnot? Even cash, I don't see why these two would help eliminate crimes when they are the main causes for it.

[cryp24x]

Apparently, majority of the posters before me didn't read the post at all.

Sorry, let me rephrase - not prevent crime exactly, but prevent violence during criminal transactions.

In a criminal transaction Escrow would be the safest option because if the escrow jets with the money he'll have two criminals after him, not just one!

If I were buying something face-to-face, you can easily just put a knife to my face and I would probably send you my Bitcoins. Just don't bring too much with you.
You can't track Bitcoins, if you were to use an escrow, the escrow probably won't reveal his/her identity. If they do, the escrow could be in danger if either of the criminals decides to attack him.

It has been answered several page back and so the following people are just taking conversation and reacting to the post before them while relating it to the topic in my opinion.  Else if I write something to answer what is in the OP I will be  parroting almost majority of the member who replied here including you.  So basically your answer had been posted several pages back.
With regards to the OP Q, Ill be parroting the answer.

It can't prevent violence if people are transacting face to face, but it will if it is done thru 3rd party processor but, it will not prevent a crime if one of the person have malicious intent to scam the person with BTC even if there is an escrow. e.g. paypal < > bitcoin  paypal triggers the chargeback after the successful trade.

[Victorycoin]

Bitcoin can't prevent crime, the way BTC is design, it is faceless transactions and this is the concern of people in government that it is likely to be used by terrorist. Even with escrow, Escrow is just to guarantee trust.

Well Bitcoin is not a law enforcement agent to prevent crime in the first place, it is a currency even though the government out of their selfishness opt to see it otherwise. There will always be people who are inclined to commit economic crimes and it matters less to them if it is with Bitcoin or the fiat currencies, these crimes are as old as mankind. If the governments are willing to listen, the best way to prevent crime is to get to the root cause of the crimes and not just the shoots or leaves.

[HaXX0R1337]

Why would it prevent such things in the first place when bitcoin itself is being used by illegal traders and criminals to use in hiding stolen goods and whatnot? Even cash, I don't see why these two would help eliminate crimes when they are the main causes for it.

Criminals do find new ways to hide their stash of money acquired illegally and that is not a new thing and investing in bitcoin and other crypto currencies is a safe bet for them as it is easy to store your wealth ,so bitcoin wont prevent or aid crime and it all depends upon the individual users what they make with the money they make.