Police in US arrest 9 year old rabbit thief!!!!

[diablopilot 2]

Thanks. I never mentioned it but I like you sig line....

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Ripple 0]

Well, here's another 2p worth - sure kids are fucked up sometimes, and when they commit a crime, whether its stealing some sweets, or a more serious offence, it can be largely due to that 'fuckedupness'. But that doesn't excuse them. Every child knows right from wrong. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson certainly did.

After being caught, charged and found guilty, they were finally sentenced to eight years in a secure youth accommodation where they received a high standard of care, including psychiatric treatment. In my opinion, that was absolutely correct and necessary. However, in no way were they ever absolved of their responsibility in what happened to James Bulger, and that is the crucial issue.

In the UK you are held criminally responsible at 10 years of age. (Age 8 in Scotland.)

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[Nightingale 0]

I don't know about the UK, but most of the kids here in the US who are in juvie and need psychiatric attention don't get it. My cousin is schizophrenic and couldn't even get his medication while he was in juvie.

[Ripple 0]

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I don't know about the UK, but most of the kids here in the US who are in juvie and need psychiatric attention don't get it. My cousin is schizophrenic and couldn't even get his medication while he was in juvie.

Well, that's bizzare, obviously. However, the issue is about responsibility. To absolve a child of responsibility for his/her actions, can only be wrong.

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[SkyDekker 1,465]

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To absolve a child of responsibility for his/her actions, can only be wrong.

I think that in general (yes I know there are exception to every rule) when a young child commits a heinous crime, there are deeper lying problems that need to be found.

Just scratching the surface and putting the kid in jail doens't better the situation.

[Ripple 0]

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Just scratching the surface and putting the kid in jail doens't better the situation.

No, I'm not saying it does. However, to treat the child as though they have no responsibility for their actions is also wrong.

There are institutions, carers, facilities that deal with troubled children in a constructive way. But, as I've said before, it is completely wrong and destructive if the child is not required to take responsibility.

We seem to live in an age where we find reasons for every behaviour. Fine. Thats a good thing. But what we seem to forget is they are reasons not excuses.

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[turtlespeed 226]

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To absolve a child of responsibility for his/her actions, can only be wrong.

I think that in general (yes I know there are exception to every rule) when a young child commits a heinous crime, there are deeper lying problems that need to be found.

Just scratching the surface and putting the kid in jail doens't better the situation.

Ummm I believe that that was not "JUST" what happened - I'd be willing to bet a good amount of money that the ride in handcuffs frightened her enough that she will not ever do that again. Meaning that she won't do anything to put herself in that situation again - in other words she understyands the consequences now.

If I'm wrong and she wasn't frieghtened by the experiance then it's better that we found out now - so we can fix it.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun