[plzleenowhammy]

Excellent question. There's really only one way that I think criminal activity could be prevented without the state...

You see, the first thing that would happen is an organization would spring up to handle security in a given region. This organization would hire security personnel to safeguard everyone in the region.

Now, everyone in this region would pay a certain percentage of their income to the security firm in exchange for their protection. If at any time a member or the region was dissatisfied with the provided service they could voice their opinion in open forums but as long as they lived in that region they must pay for their protection. If a member of this region were to be so dissatisfied with the level of service provided by the organization that he or she would feel compelled to stop paying for the security service then the security organization would correctly enter that person's home and demand the money they are owed.

If the person were to still not comply then they will be taken into seclusion by the organization and held for an amount of time that the organization decides upon. If this person were to resist their own detaining then the defenders of the organization will unfortunately have to use their issued tazers, clubs, pepper spray, handcuffs, pistols and shotguns to protect the rest of the region from this miscreant. If the dastardly perpetrator were to resist vehemently then they will be shot by regional security. A pay increase will then be issued to the personnel involved and the people in the region will gladly pay more of their income knowing that they are being protected so valiantly.

Do you see now how security works? People in a region pay for their security and if they do not then they are given harsh sanctions which (unfortunately, of course) include beatings, kidnappings and death. This is the only way to ensure that the inhabitants of the region will have their property protected and their children safeguarded.

Also, the organization will be paid as much as is necessary to ensure safety. Since, you see, rival regions are full of savages who would like nothing more than to destroy our serene region! In order that they may defend us, the organization will defend the region by attacking other regions. The members of our serene region will be more than happy to pay for this attack because the organization will surely only attack those who really really deserve it. If at any time the organization does not have enough employees to successfully attack the violent region in question then it will, at times of great need, require that you (and your children in the most extreme of cases) defend the region by murdering those that wish to destroy it. I know this sounds like a dire situation, friend, but I assure you it is the only way to ensure your safety! If you are worried that you might be punished for committing an attack against a neighboring or far-away region you needn't worry. No legal sanctions will be lodged against you. In fact, the region and all of its inhabitans, will thank you for your fine work and bravery (if only all of the regional members were so brave)!

So, there you have it. My hope for the future. I'm sure that the organizations of different regions will like slightly differently but they will all be the same in nature. They will probably even have similar names... I imagine the organizations would be called something like.. I don't know.. maybe.. Guardians Opposing Violence Territories.. GOVT for short.