I think the hope for 2 is that those programmers would be forced into inaction by the language safety, rather than being allowed to cause problems.

I don't really think that works either, because there's endless ways to add complication even if you can't worsen behavior (assuming that's even possible). At best they might be caught eventually... but anyone who has worked in a large tech company knows at least a few people who are somehow still employed years later, despite constant ineptitude. Play The Game well enough and it's probably always possible.