quote:Two teenagers who tortured a pensioner by tying him up and slashing his penis with a razor-sharp knife have been sentenced to five years detention.
Is it terrible of me to wish for these two get assigned to "Bruno the unlubricated impaler"'s cell as his personal chicken-bitches?
They will go to jail or whatever, but you can just tell both of them will wind up in the back of a dumpster in a dark alley after picking on someone a bit more hardcore. At least I hope so.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
quote: Is it terrible of me to wish for these two get assigned to "Bruno the unlubricated impaler"'s cell as his personal chicken-bitches?
I'd say yes, though not out of any sense of compassion towards them, but because I think rape is one of the most vile of crimes, and I cannot personally reconcile that belief with a desire to see it be used as a punishment, because I think the act itself presents...well, a social danger, regardless of where it is.
So, prison rape is bad. But I suspect that wasn't exactly the angle of this you wanted this thread to concentrate on.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Ah, well, five years. Yes, that ought to straighten them right out. Especially the one who's been convicted of SIXTEEN CRIMES BEFORE AGE EIGHTEEN!
I mean, I can't condone the death penalty of course, but at least DON'T LET THE PSYCHO BACK OUT INTO THE FUCKING PUBLIC!
Posted by Tahna Los (Member # 33) on :
If anything, the criminal justice system should be revamped against the youth. We've had a bunch of teenagers who nearly beat another kid to death, and yet they get two years in prison. The worst part is that the kids KNEW that they would get off lightly. And they taunted the kid and his parents with that fact and that they would be back.
Serious crimes deserve serious sentences. The formation of intent in this crime shows that the teen should be tried as an adult.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
well, the youth protection has always been the 'kids will be kids' clause.. how can you punish someone for something they didnt know any better.. i think that crimes of violence and malice should be separated from that though.
i mean, i can see letting lil Billy out of juvenile hall when he's 18 because he played with drugs or stole license plates, and seal up his records so that he could try and have a normal life..
but cutting someone's genitals with razors? throw away the fucking key. honestly. WTF
Posted by E. Cartman (Member # 256) on :
These are two seriously fucked up kids.
Is society better off if they spend the rest of their lifes behind bars? Arguably yes.
Is society a better place if they are locked away for all eternity? Arguably no.
Will five years in prison straighten them out? No. Will ten? No. Will any? Absolutely not.
Mental patients need HELP. Special treatment, special medication. Entering them into the system like regular criminals will NOT benefit anyone.
Warping their minds even further should be the LAST item on everybody's checklist, NOT the first.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
The baser side of me agrees with FoT here that "Bruno" wouldn't be an excessive sentence... the "punishment fits the crime" idea.
But as Sol points out, that's not constructive at all -- and really, violence can only cause more violence. It's HELP that these people need... I would like to think that (violent) crime is the result of psychological issues that can be addressed. At least, for most people -- there can certainly be people out there who are simply "evil" (although that's a very perjorative term for a variety of potential motives).
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
i would definitely support rehabilitation and counseling and whatever. from within the confines of a securely locked facility from which they could never return to the streets.
Posted by Tahna Los (Member # 33) on :
Kids will be kids? They didn't know any better? Shoplifting, I understand. Simple assault, I understand. Even a car crash or a hit-and-run. But this is a maiming. And they meant to do it. The seriousness of the crime as well as intent to do serious harm alone means that they should be charged as adults and not juveniles.
From my vantage point, the Canadian justice system (and possibly the American, but that's just from watching Law and Order) for juveniles is seriously fucked up. We've got kids committing murder and only going to juvie hall for 5 years. We've got kids committing attempted murder and they get it bumped down to assault. And they get less than 2 years. In today's society (everywhere, not just Canadian or American), the Justice system for juvies should be revamped to reflect the changing attitudes on teenagers. And that includes charging teens in Adult court.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
please note that when i used the phrase 'kids will be kids' i was referring to simple mischief, and went on to say that violent malicious fucks like this need to be edited out from the population pool (if not the gene pool).
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Out of curiosity, if we are treating, say, 16 year olds as adults in the legal system, shouldn't they recieve the right to vote as well? Not that I am implying that we should or should not in either case.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
and the right to stay out late with me as well!
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Out of curiosity, if we are treating, say, 16 year olds as adults in the legal system, shouldn't they recieve the right to vote as well?
We desperately need some sort of method for determining mental competency...
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Probably impossible, and definitely unfair, because any such definition is all too easily equated with "thinks like the powers that be want him/her to think." Blanket limits like being 18 to vote are ultimately arbitrary, but I do not think the problems they cause are worse than the problems some sort of "competency" exam presents.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
The problem I see w/ the arguement is that "adult" in one situation does not equal "adult" in another situation. Just because someone is mature enough for one thing doesn't mean they're mature enough for another. I'm not saying this is necessarily in contradiction to the current debate, but it's a problem, in general, w/ an arguement in the form of "if someone is old enough to do x, they're old enough to do anything".
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I say give the victim a few hours of time to return the favor and then let the serve five easy years (likely in Juvie or minimum security prison). If this happened in the states they would have several felony charges and would certainly be tried as adults.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
An argument in favor of lowering the voting age, Tim, (Not that I'm in favor of it.) is that people under 18 aren't allowed to currently because they aren't considered to be fully engaged in society. Fewer rights, but fewer responsibilities. Now, if we are going to extend the full force of the legal system to them, it would seem to be fair to allow them (as an age group) to have some say in how it is constituted, namely, via sufferage. Or something.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
It's odd- 16 year olds can gwt married and have kids, die for their country and sell scrap metal but not vote. Although there is a bill going through parliament at the moment about it.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
It's also illegal for them to drink at their own bachelor parties. I'm sure there's something wrong there. Although to be fair, it's true over here as well.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Actually; it's perfectly legal for a 16 year old to drink with a meal. So as long as you have food in front of ou, it's ok... Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
The link no longer leads to this story.
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
But the picture in the new article made me think the said victim had recouperated nicely.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
oh, all should be forgiven then.
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
It was a joke, Mahatma, the picture shows a very happy irish bricklayer. It was a very opposing picture if put together with "Old man gets penis slashed".
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)