Subject:
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Re: Driver humiliated by Texas judge
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 24 Sep 2004 16:25:45 GMT
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Viewed:
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986 times
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Tim Courtney wrote:
> Do all criminals *want* to make restitution? I'd say there's a fair
> amount who don't give a rat's behind about their victim, or even the
> fact that they're doing jail time for their crime (given the number
> of repeat offenders).
Sure. Because society somehow forgot to teach them compassion, respect,
self-worth, etc. Should we wash our hands of them, dooming us to repeat
offense, even if we keep them in prison? Or do we decide to look for ways to
help them break the cycle (perhaps by actually showing them compassion,
respect, self-worth, etc.)?
Now I do feel there will be some small number of folks that are just so
broken they will never get it, and may not be able to be fixed with today's
tools. We should focus our "containment" strategies on those few people, and
focus real rehabilitation energy on the rest.
Oh, and perhaps we should stop wasting energy on victimless "crimes".
> Legally, sure, it might be thrown out. I'm not sure though if it
> would be right to throw it out, though, if it corrects the problem
> with no physical harm to the perpetrator and at the same time
> discourages others in society from doing the same. All it harms is
> the person's reputation and image, which it could be argued that if
> the person was that reckless with their driving that they caused
> someone else's death, isn't that a fair punishment? Maybe it isn't?
If it really helps the person learn compassion, respect, self-worth, etc.
then it might be a useful tool. If it just makes the individual have even
less respect for "the system" or just makes it more of a "I'm bigger 'n
you." type of thing, then nothing has really be learned. Sure, the criminal
might try harder not to get caught, but that doesn't reduce crime...
Frank
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Driver humiliated by Texas judge
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| (...) What restitution would you suggest for causing an accident that killed someone? Maybe I'm not being creative enough, but the person's already dead. Wouldn't the goal be making sure this person _never_ does the same thing again, and that as (...) (20 years ago, 24-Sep-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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