Crime in Malfa
Long story short, Malfa is a good place to be an independent operator, plenty of cracks to slip through. Crimes committed by Maveren are tried by the Maveren as a whole, who vote on their guilt. It’s quite difficult to get a Maver to trial, but once they’re there, the Maveren take accountability and punishment seriously. The problem is in the things that the Maveren don’t recognise as crimes, such as killing non-Maveren when they obviously deserve it. Crimes by thralls are tried by the Maveren of the household the thrall belongs to. This can get very complicated; Maveren also take their responsibility for their thralls seriously. Inappropriately punishing your own thrall is a Maveren crime. (For instance: Hirroka Fisk, the ex-head of the Piscatorium, has been made for embezzling from the Valdas Holding. Valdas Nykomin plans to exile him and seize all his belongings, but to do so, she needs to wait for all the Maveren to meet so they can affirm her right to do it (which they will). In the meantime Fisk is languishing in the Valdas holding’s gaol, which is currently a room in Nykomin’s attic.) Crimes by “inlanders” (everybody else in Malfa, legally called “autonomies”) are tried by the holding courts for each Maveren household, presided over by a husman. Technically, each holding respects the decisions of the other courts, but jurisdiction gets complicated. Fun legal fact: by Maveren custom, everyone not Maver or a thrall is a unique autonomous entity: every free person in Malfa is their own country, and crimes they commit are technically acts of war.
Policing
Each holding has a rettman (bailiff/sheriff), who commands the pickets (guards). These are all thralls. The rettman of each holding is in communication with their counterparts, but cooperation between them varies with how well they get along personally.
Self-Policing
Various organisations in Malfa, like the Trade Benevolence and the Gentlepersons/Gentles, take it upon themselves to make sure things run smoothly in the areas or businesses they control. In the case of the Gentles, they would like to become something like Cosa Nostra or a tong, but they're currently too new to manage it.
Sumptuary laws
(These are laws around what people of different classes are allowed to wear) Sea silk is a type of silk made deep in the ocean. Only Maveren can wear or even own sea silk in Malfa; they trade for it with sea dwarves from the Aldean Ocean. Trade in it is forbidden to non-Maveren (and the sea dwarves respect this). Each Maveren household has a gemstone it uses as a badge. A Maver’s jewellery will use this stone primarily, and their thralls (like guards) will have a chip of it in a brooch or medallion. For Maveren and thralls, wearing the gem of another household is a crime. For free persons, it isn’t forbidden, but a Maver who sees someone wearing the gem of their household will probably walk up and ask to be given it, and expect to be obeyed. If they are, then they will probably give a gift back as appreciation of the person’s generosity. This might be another piece of jewellery (minus their house’s gem), or “my esteem.” It won’t be money.