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Is littering a victimless crime?

OC for ME

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I think we are using different terms to describe the same thing.

Littering is morally wrong, as you say. I used the word victims to describe those who have to see its detrimental impact on clean environments that we enjoy.

I did not say I would call cops and swear out warrants for candy bar wrappers. If I were a cop, I would be glad to write a ticket if I observed someone purposely throw one out a window. I would not pull over a pickup because one blew out of its back end unless he had a pile of them that were constantly doing so. The intent to litter is morally wrong and I have no problem with penalties.

Littering can be malum en se.

I used the word victim in the loose generic sense, if it also has a legal definition. If I used the word crime, I was doing the same, and not attempting to label the severity of the wrongness.
OK. Got it. As you can see severity is not a component of the statute in MO. At what point will my consent to litter my property not be permissible? Other states may be different.

Liberty is at risk with criminal litter statutes.
 

sudden valley gunner

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We have environmenalist extremist in our local building code areas.

When one came to make sure our dirt wasn't hurting "their" swamp, he threw his cigarette but in the gutter.

The irony and the hypocrisy irked me so I told him to pick it up, he laughed thinking I was joking, I wasn't and he ended up picking it up. He never did return like promised.
 

The Truth

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Liberty is at risk with criminal litter statutes.

You and I seem to agree 9 times out of 10, but I think this statement is a bit of a stretch. You're saying the ability to freely litter = Liberty? Hmm...I don't know man. Convince me.
 

OC for ME

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You and I seem to agree 9 times out of 10, but I think this statement is a bit of a stretch. You're saying the ability to freely litter = Liberty? Hmm...I don't know man. Convince me.
Who defines litter? You, me, the state? A citizen sees me toss a butt on the ground, my land, and takes offense, calls the cops. In MO the law and penalty is posted in this thread.

Now, MWAG...

I need not convince you, liberty is eroded from many quarters by the state.
 

The Truth

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Who defines litter? You, me, the state? A citizen sees me toss a butt on the ground, my land, and takes offense, calls the cops. In MO the law and penalty is posted in this thread.

Now, MWAG...

I need not convince you, liberty is eroded from many quarters by the state.

As I said earlier, IMO, litter should be defined as non-organic trash or rubbish. Organic matter is not litter IMO. I might get pulled over for it, but I don't even think twice about tossing an apple core out the window of my truck.

As for it being on your property, I agree that you should be able to do whatever you want on your property, but couldn't cig butts affect someone who owns your property long after you're dead?
 

OC for ME

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As I said earlier, IMO, litter should be defined as non-organic trash or rubbish. Organic matter is not litter IMO. I might get pulled over for it, but I don't even think twice about tossing an apple core out the window of my truck.

As for it being on your property, I agree that you should be able to do whatever you want on your property, but couldn't cig butts affect someone who owns your property long after you're dead?
No arguments from me on the apple thing. This is why I do not litter, intentionally. I like a clean environment, especially the environment I own. If there is direct harm then a civil action is warranted. Criminal sanctions? Nope.

Littering. 577.070.

1. A person commits the crime of littering if he throws or places, or causes to be thrown or placed, any glass, glass bottles, wire, nails, tacks, hedge, cans, garbage, trash, refuse, or rubbish of any kind, nature or description on the right-of-way of any public road or state highway or on or in any of the waters in this state or on the banks of any stream, or on any land or water owned, operated or leased by the state, any board, department, agency or commission thereof or on any land or water owned, operated or leased by the federal government or on any private real property owned by another without his consent.

2. Littering is a class A misdemeanor.
The statute makes no allowance for common sense. Thus my liberty at risk comment. Will a cop stop and investigate me for a butt I tossed on my land? Highly unlikely...but, ya never know.
 

MAC702

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Nevada
Let's put a small spin on this.

You like to shoot at a local spot, but it's not an "official range", and the parking area is right next to a a well-used trail for OHV and such.

You don't reload, but you know that others who shoot there do, so you leave your brass/shells knowing that they will be collected at some point in the near future...hopefully.

Is that littering if you know that others can and will collect and use at some point what you don't want or need?

This was a good question. Whether "official" or not, it matters to me if it is an established shooting spot. If so, I will leave my brass in the same pile as the rest of the brass that has been there for the last fifty years. I will not leave "targets" regardless of how big the existing pile is. If I am in the middle of nowhere and do some plinking, I leave nothing but tire tracks and organics.
 

The Truth

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If there is direct harm then a civil action is warranted. Criminal sanctions? Nope.

Ok, I gotcha now. So no arrest possible, but fines. I'm ok with that, but what about the penalty for non-payment? Make it an incentive or some some kind of parlay maybe?
 

OC for ME

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Ok, I gotcha now. So no arrest possible, but fines. I'm ok with that, but what about the penalty for non-payment? Make it an incentive or some some kind of parlay maybe?
If a court orders you to pay and you fail to follow the order of the court that is contempt of court, which is a criminal offense, off to the slammer you go. Different circumstance/offense only tangentially related to the littering civil offense.
 

twoskinsonemanns

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Apr 12, 2012
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WV
This was a good question. Whether "official" or not, it matters to me if it is an established shooting spot. If so, I will leave my brass in the same pile as the rest of the brass that has been there for the last fifty years. I will not leave "targets" regardless of how big the existing pile is. If I am in the middle of nowhere and do some plinking, I leave nothing but tire tracks and organics.

If I go plinking in the middle of nowhere I just assume I am the first shooter at what will become an established shooting spot :lol:

Kidding. I rarely shoot outside my own property. When I do it's at a gun range.
 
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