Arresting Visitors and Traders / Setting up Laws

[Glitterworld Medicine]

Not sure if this has been suggested yet, but I'll go ahead with it anyway.

You should be able to set up laws and punishment for your colony that traders and visitors must obey. Arrests caused by law violations should not result in the faction to become hostile as the visitor violated your laws.

Example, you could make entering certain zones illegal (such as bedrooms and freezers), starting fights with colonists illegal, or pyromaniacs burning things illegal.

You should also be allowed to set punishments for infractions. You could make murder punishable by death, or trespassing a few hours in jail. Starting fights a few days in jail, and setting fires also a few days.

However, there should be a way to balance this. If you harvest organs from arrestees, sell them into slavery, etc. then the faction should become hostile. Or, if you have unjust punishments (like execution for a social fight that resulted in no serious injuries), leave arrestee's wounds (at least wounds that result in bleeding) untended, or deny them food while detained, then a relationship debuff (but not instant declaration of war) should incur.

Seriously, it is not my fault that your visitor got arrested for setting our dining room on fire and punched the doctor in face three times.

All jokes aside though, the diplomatic immunity of visitors is ridiculous.

[Jackalvin]

This, in many different forms, has been suggested. And to be honest, I think that the people of the Rim are too respectful
-Walks into room filled with silver- "oh hey, that's a lot of silver" - walks out without pocketing a single piece despite having a terrible heart condition that leaves him with 2 seasons to live with a synthetic replacement-
So I think that a colony judicial system would be neat, even choosing different kinds of laws and government, heck, even having a civics research tree! Something like this:
Governmental type research 1
Your researcher discovers the basics of society and what make people tick. Unlocks Chiefdom, Communal Society, and Basic Democracy.

So Chiefdom (neolithic) will upgrade into Monarchy (Medieval) then Dictatorship (Industrial). I can't think of a spacer version, but anyway each would have their own perks, events, and subtypes, for example, Chiefdom would need to select a chief, so would you select the oldest, the wisest (the most intelligence), the most charismatic (social), or (my favorite) a trial by blood (not to the death... For the most part) to see who's the strongest. Each leader may have an agenda like a science based leader may want labs built, or a warrior would want to see weapons made. This would increase the leaders chance to be re-appointed if it is a democracy, or just to level up a monarchist, for every year in office, small buffs could be put in place.
Woah, okay, I ranted on for far too long, sorry for the chunk of ineligible text. I'm out. 

[sick puppy]

nah, dont worry

i really liked the idea of these levels of society and how it is always a single person that is the ruler of the place. first a chief/chiefette (?), then a king or queen, then a dictator (i think that is both male and female) and for spacer level i dont even know. in history class i have heard of some philosophist talking about a so-called leviathan. although they get elected, they have absolute power over everything, so you cant vote them off or impeach them. the are supposed to do everything for the good of the people.
at least this is what stuck with me from history class. sorry, i used to suck at history and my teachers didnt exactly help in that regard. also, who the hell would teach this to 16 yearolds

anyway, i really liked your text wih one exception. i dont think you should make pawns kings/chiefs/dictators. we are that ourselves. WE ARE the kings/queens, chieftains, dictators and leviathans, or maybe even "great leaders" if you will. no need for that other stuff, it just makes the current addition more complex and therefore less probable to be added

[Glitterworld Medicine]

Update: maybe you could make them pay a fine and if they don't pay it (either they refuse to or don't have the money) you would then be allowed to arrest them.

Fee should be adjustable and you should be allowed to set which crimes can be paid off with a fine.

[sick puppy]

sounds more and more like mod area :/

[Glitterworld Medicine]

sounds more and more like mod area :/

Probably because Psychology has that whole visitor mechanic.