NotHardUp1
What? Me? Really?
It is not uniquely American, but it is strongly American.
We have youths, under the age of majority, increasingly representing more of the total share of felonies. The crimes range from rape to grand theft auto to dealing in serious contraband to murder.
Somehow, there is some rationalizing away that these crimes are but an artifact of a misspent youth, a transitory phase of adolescence, and not indicative of the real social ill that it is, and that it portends.
We have a decades-long ethos that codified anonymity for minors, instititutionally giving them the benefit of the doubt, and a "clean shot" at reversing course as adults to become positive members of society rather than its enemies.
That hasn't really worked. The trend has worsened.
If a youth commits a felony, it's a major crime against society, and it should be just as public as any adult's. The society may yet mitigate punishment based on age, but society has every right to know the names and crimes of minors when they are convicted of felonies. It's entirely different than committing petty crimes and misdemeanors.
It should be published at the point of conviction, not after all appeals are exhausted, which may be never.
Anonymity is one of the preferred tools of the criminal. Stop helping junior criminals become pros.
We have youths, under the age of majority, increasingly representing more of the total share of felonies. The crimes range from rape to grand theft auto to dealing in serious contraband to murder.
Somehow, there is some rationalizing away that these crimes are but an artifact of a misspent youth, a transitory phase of adolescence, and not indicative of the real social ill that it is, and that it portends.
We have a decades-long ethos that codified anonymity for minors, instititutionally giving them the benefit of the doubt, and a "clean shot" at reversing course as adults to become positive members of society rather than its enemies.
That hasn't really worked. The trend has worsened.
If a youth commits a felony, it's a major crime against society, and it should be just as public as any adult's. The society may yet mitigate punishment based on age, but society has every right to know the names and crimes of minors when they are convicted of felonies. It's entirely different than committing petty crimes and misdemeanors.
It should be published at the point of conviction, not after all appeals are exhausted, which may be never.
Anonymity is one of the preferred tools of the criminal. Stop helping junior criminals become pros.
