Is there any english idiom to describe detrimental effect of crime to the accused
Would crime does not pay suit that context? Or is there any other idiom suiting it best
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1Crime is a slippery slope. And always remember - If you can't do the time (serve a prison sentence), don't do the crime.– FumbleFingersCommented Nov 27, 2020 at 15:13
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1The detrimental effect on whom? The victim? Society at large? The criminals themselves? The idiom crime does not pay specifically describes the detrimental effect on the criminals themselves.– Canadian YankeeCommented Nov 27, 2020 at 16:09
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1 Answer
"Crime does not pay" sounds like a suitable idiom. It doesn't mean that crime never has a return but implies that ultimately crime does not pay because the law does catch up with you and the risk/punishment outweighs any short-term benefit.
I can't think of any other idiom which makes the same direct statement about crime. There is an expression "the thin end of the wedge" which is used to describe any small action (not specifically a crime) which ultimately leads to a larger one - for example, a person who commits a petty crime and gets away with it may go on to commit much larger crimes, so you could say that their petty crime was the thin end of the wedge, but this may not necessarily imply punishment catches up with them.
answered Nov 27, 2020 at 15:09
