User blog comment:Zelron/Wiki Assessment/@comment-5632187-20141027045106/@comment-3492791-20141027053614

Users can be blocked for reasons that would fall outside the jurisdiction of the CoC such as vandalism and continued breach of policy. Also as I tried to clarify the CoC is only a guideline, it's not a contract. Breaches of the CoC are not necessarily bannable offenses.

As to the necessity of a Block Policy, you're using circular logic. Blocks are handled on a case-by-case basis because there is no other way to do it. We're effectively "shooting from the hip" when it comes to blocks. This is exactly what I was talking about when I said unspoken rules and common sense don't cut it. We can't just say, "Well everyone knows that they shouldn't be doing XYZ". Blocks are pretty much only given when an admin finds some behavior disagreeable. There's no reasoning to it other than their own bias.

Having clearly labeled rules not only helps admins know when it's appropriate to hand out a block (and the severity of it), but it also helps the users. Not just what they shouldn't do, but what they shouldn't be letting others do. Perhaps warning people of dangerous behaviors and steering them away from it. Having rules also gives voice to the community. The community as a whole should decide what behaviors are intolerable. It's not up the the admins to make the rules, but to be trusted to enforce them.