Posted on 09/14/2009 7:03:29 AM PDT by NativeNewYorker
LANSING, Mich., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- A study indicating that 346 teenagers are serving life sentences in Michigan prisons, the second-most in the country, has sparked a debate, observers say.
The report by the University of Texas Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs also contends that Michigan is among the harshest U.S. states in the way it treats teens accused of major crimes, the Detroit News reported Monday.
"Children simply aren't as culpable as adults because their brains aren't fully developed yet, and they are much more capable of rehabilitation," Michele Deitch, an adjunct professor at the University of Texas and principal investigator of the study, told the News.
Some prosecutors and victims' relatives, however, say specific crimes committed by youths are so bad that only a life sentence can serve justice.
Greg King of Saginaw, Mich., whose 18-year-daughter was carjacked, kidnapped, raped, tortured and slain by a 15-year-old boy and his 18-year old cousin in 1997, told the newspaper, "Thinking (of freeing them) cheapens the value of my daughter's life. The murderers get to see their families, talk to their families, receive gifts from their families -- and now we want to let them go."
The feral population needs to be put down, not locked up.
Children are totally capable of murder. Locked up, second best.
I'd let them go (from the open door of Huey at 1000 ft) Maybe we could move them in with "Michele Deitch" adjunct professor of liberal criminal coddling.
Agree.
Most of them have probably gotten meaner since being
locked up.
Not to mention converting to islam if not already
Lord save us from these bleeding heart liberal idiots
If kids were committing kid crimes, like, shoplifting, joyriding, vandalism, setting off fireworks etc, then one could argue jail is not needed, but when you commit adult crimes you should get an adult punishment.
Agree. Make the punishment fit the crime. They didn't spray paint a wall. These two pieces of feces took everything from that girl, her future and her past - everything that she was and everything that she could have ever been and now that moron Deitch wants to release them. Murder somone - get the needle (or a huey ride)
Most of ‘em probably should have been shot like rabid dogs.
Make all these feral males live in free halfway houses in the most liberal elite neighborhoods and go to their swank public schools or even private schools.
Watch how liberal Dems and limpwrist RINOS do a 180.
Never going to happen. Like illegals taking over working class towns, they site these scum back into the conservative working class neighborhoods, yet don’t let the ethos of these neighborhoods ‘take care’ of these scum.
A friends daughter rented a basement apartment in Boston’s Little Italy. A couple of days after moving in, a couple of big guys in suits came by, welcomed her to the neighborhood, and gave her their card with three different phone numbers on it. They said if she had any problem, or saw anyone suspicious, or anyone bothered her, to call any of the three numbers. They said they would ‘take care’ of the problem quickly, unlike the police bureaucrats who would just file a report.
I like that attitude. And, the supposed feral scum, they know it too. Their brains very much pick and choose, strategy and weigh victims and the risks. How come little feral punks never kidnap and rape a Hell’s Angels or a couple of State Police? You would think by statistical odds that would happen? After all, according to liberal they are not scheming, not planning, not picking and choosing. Yet for some reason they only pick up single girls, elderly, people alone, or the weak. Why if I wasn’t such a college dropout dummy, I would of thought there is some sort of pattern going on. But I’m not an expert, so what do we all know?
An agenda driven statement if I ever saw one. He tries to equate children with teens. It is true that small children cannot properly recognize the gravity of their actions. This is why they require adult supervision constantly. But by age 7 most children understand the concept of death and murder. By age 14 teens are much more adult in their thinking.
The state rarely prosecutes anyone under 14 for an adult crime. But, to equate an 18 year old teen with a child is simply disingenuous.
Now THAT’S a Neighborhood Watch!
Not only disingenuous, but an outright lie. Just about every culture and religion in the world recognizes the ages between 12 and 14 as coming into adulthood. They are part of a ceremony, married off, and expected to do adult work. Even in the US up until very recently (the 60’s or 70’s, maybe later) we realized that teens were not children. This is helicopter parents not willing to let go of their kids and the aftermath. Sheesh, even Mary was a mother at 15 and already betrothed to Joseph. This is not man ordained, it is God ordained. Bar mitzvahs, confirmation, adult baptism, and many many other rituals happen at this age to signify the coming of age. They know what they are doing........
Same could be said of members of Congress.
I actually don’t care.
If a “child” deliberately kills someone for any reason other than self-defense, he’s broken. I doubt its possible to “fix” such a creature; more likely, he will only get worse. But, even it were possible, its not worth the effort, and the risk of recidivism. You should put him down like the dangerous animal he is.
Michigan abolished the death penalty in 1846, and hence has more prisoners of ALL AGES locked-up for life than most other states.
- Michigan adopted a tough “3 Strikes” law and “Life with no Parole” felony possession drug law in the 1980’s.
- The Supreme Court will no longer let you execute for capital crimes committed as a minor...DUH!
A sociopath is trained or taught to be anti-social, a psychopath is that way naturally. This is why it is possible for a young sociopath to be reeducated, but why a psychopath cannot be reeducated.
For this reason, when a child is arrested, they should be evaluated by a professional to determine if they are “redeemable” or not, in a situation of strict order and discipline. Importantly, not all psychopaths are criminals, either, because it comes in varying degrees. But a full psychopath is like a wild predator animal—they cannot be domesticated.
In either case, despite any effort to redeem, this in no way exonerates them of the crimes they have committed, nor should it mitigate their punishment. It just puts in context what they did, so at least they understand why they are being punished.
One additional element that needs to be considered is “brain flexibility”, as relates to substance abuse. Up until about the age of 21 years, the human brain is much more susceptible to addiction. If exposure to addictive substances is avoided until that time, it is much harder to become an addict, first, and much easier to break out of an addiction, if one develops.
Since alcohol, especially, is one of the greatest contributing factors to crime, strict priority should be given to prevent criminal juveniles from having any access at all to alcohol or other addictive substances. Because if they are eventually to be released back in to society, it would be to everyone’s advantage if they were not prone to addiction.
i don't want those brains to develop fully.
We have enough trouble as it is at present.
Seems to me that prison was never supposed to be about 'rehabilitation', it was supposed to be punishment.
“...whose 18-year-daughter was carjacked, kidnapped, raped, tortured and slain by a 15-year-old boy and his 18-year old cousin...”
But of course we should show mercy to these misguided “youts” who are simply victims of slow brain development! Perhaps these libs would consider adoption and FULL RESPONSIBILITY!
You do the crime, you do the time.
Don’t matter if they be a youth, or a crazy person, a politician, athlete or joe six pack.
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