On Fri, 3 Dec 1999, Kristi Richardson wrote:
>
> I think Brad has a good point, Oregon does have a minimum penalty law in
> effect that can hurt minors for life. When I was younger I did some things
> that could have put me in jail in todays climate.
I agree, in that sometimes I think that the changes we make on the
criminal justice system could land some kids in jail for what is really
(and used to be treated like) something that should be remedied by your
parents giving you a good kick (nevermind the lack pf parents here). so
we permanently stain kids who would have otherwise had bright futures.
and, though I'm not so proud of it now, we had a scavenger hunt similar to
the one discussed when I was in high school. I seem to recall that the
line was drawn at stealing private property, but there was always a set of
police lights listed, and a manhole cover, and street signs, etc. nobody
thought it was *cool* to swipe someone else's stuff (let's not discuss the
taxpayer-owned aspect of it--I really can't think of a good defense now).
the catch was you gave the stuff back after the hunt, and for a while it
was my understanding that the cops were (sort of) cool with it, i.e. they
knew what night it was and the guy who had his lights swiped got ribbed,
since he knew to look out for it, etc. as well, many of the cops had gone
to the high school, and thought it was a tradition, so they were perhaps
more complacent than they might have been.. as well, if you swiped a
manhole cover, you: a) left someone (who claimed to have happened by) to
alert other motorists and the cops when they showed up ('cause we called
'em), and help take down the construction saw horses (that we put up to
alert traffic). granted, these were stolen, too, but there you have it.
as well, do this at 2:00 a.m., and do it off a side street that's lightly
traveled. same for street signs, etc.
I heard later from a friend that graduated a few years later that the kids
had taken to swiping manhole covers from main streets and not telling
anybody and somebody drove their car into one. as well, they started
keeping the stuff, so the cops cracked down. then the kids bitch about
how their 'tradition' is being ruined. I'm sad to admit I was ever a part
of it now.
so I don't have a *good* answer, except to fall back on "kids not being
what they used to", which may be true, but a) I'm a little too close to
being a kid my ownself to try that one, and b) you can make damn sure _my_
kid will get a good kicking if I catch him screwing up like that, and I
assume other parents say that, too. so who's to blame? we (me and my
friends) share our part, but I'm reluctant to take responsibility for the
bastards years later who thought it was cool to let a car crash into a
manhole cover. I wish I knew who they were so I could nail 'em for
screwing it up and making us all look bad.
now having said that, if I catch one of those monsters defacing my car,
well, I'm not going to beat him (at least not a kid) but I'd try darn sure
to think of something harsh _and_ non-violent pretty quick. but
destroying private property that someone worked for is far different from
anything we would have done then. it amazes me how much things seem to
have changed--maybe I hung out with different people than these kids do.
anyhow, destroying private (and public) property is a crime, and should
be prosecuted, if they haven't been taught respect by that time, someone
should. I'd hate that it'd be a judge, but that's why my kid (the only
one I control) is being taught _not_ to swipe his cousin's juice cup
(first kid--figure I have to start young ;-) ).
a grown man stealing my car? he gets the ball bat.
scott
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