I think that's a great idea. Firearms are a pretty crude and archaic method of subduing people. The military has experimented with various non-lethal technologies for disabling combattants. I'm sure that it would be possible to find non-lethal approaches for law enforcement and also for self-defense use.

Great idea. Would be a great boon for law enforcement capability, however, a much cheaper solution may be small, highly directional tazer-like devices that can give the accuracy of sci-fi energy weapons (like the well-known phaser) unlike the relative inaccuracy of bullets due to air resistance. Could be used on a carrier wave to give directional control (like current directional audio technology). Tazer bullets would more likely be used in the interim, retrofitting existing weapons to fire nonlethal incapacitating shots.

Kudos for the idea

Slight problem: you need two contact points to create a circuit. The first idea might work, if you charge the round up to a ludicrous voltage before it leaves the gun, and the target isn't wearing rubber boots.

I had another thought about this a little while ago. High energy capacitors could fit the bill. Since they are solid state, that can withstand the g-forces, and also discharge a current. I also wanted to mention, that this could be developed and outfitted for the military within the next 4-5 years. It would benefit ground infantry because a non-critical area of the target such as a leg or arm could be hit, yet the kenetic discharge could incapacitate the enemy. Since most of the enemies the US is fighting now are 3rd world nations, they would not have a means to sheild themselves against these types of munitions. Since the rounds are fragnable, or non-armor penetrating, they could also be used by Air-marshalls on commercial air-liners. A exploding bullet could also be developed to add to the combat effectivness of close air support helicopters, and the A10 thunderbolt.

Already on the market, using piezioelectrics to create high voltagehttp://www.shockrounds.com/shock/p2.html

Well the bullet would be prettty heavy if you used capacitors plus if you handled them wrong they would discharge in your hand or the gun and then you would have to have some kind of ceramic coating and that would pierce you if you got hit by it. maybe a bean bag full of material that when you get hit by it, it give off an electrical charge that would hurt but also give a good shock. or even a type of tranquilizer dart would be very effective, cheap, and non leathel. you know even a high powered paint ball with an eye burning powder or somthing or even a regular paint ball would hurt enough if you got hit enough times, you'll give up.

Sounds complicated in comparison to pepper balls.

Not only would it be heavy, it would most likely penetrate and be much more lethal than a rubber bullet. I guarantee you that rubber bullets sting plenty. They are huge rubber slugs inside a 12 gauge shell. You aren't going to shake them off once you get hit.

There are far too many negative variables for anything like you described to be possible.