• lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    arrow-down
    11
    ·
    2 days ago

    This again? Charging minors as adults is an abuse of the criminal justice system.

    Insisting on it

    Butler, who was age 16 and 17 at the time of the offenses, was previously denied a request to be charged as a juvenile.

    is worse until

    But during a July 24 hearing, his status was changed to youthful offender, granting him the chance for rehabilitation and less severe punishment than what an adult would receive.

    as they always should have: respecting the distinction between crimes by adults & minors is just.

    Butler received a sentence that requires him to "complete his rehabilitation plan successfully, including an aggressive schedule of therapy with a specialist in sex offender treatment

    Under the plea, Butler must also attend weekly counseling sessions and check-in with his probation officer until his 19th birthday

    Light sentences for crimes by juveniles are normal for good reason. However

    and should he fail, he faces reclassification as an adult and a sentence of ten years in prison."

    is still an unjust abuse of the criminal justice system.

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      2 days ago

      This again? Charging minors as adults is an abuse of the criminal justice system.

      How about you care when it’s black children being tried as adults and given harsher sentences for far less?

      Oh right. Your sympathy extends towards people whose actions you approve of and no further.

    • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 days ago

      Yes, but… what makes 18 a magic number. Brain development doesn’t finish until a person’s 20’s. Feels like there should be more categories. Prepubescent, during puberty, post puberty, full adult. This would clearly fall in the post puberty range. In that range, some consideration should be made for the extra impulsivness and bad decision making. But showing a history, kinda dulls that defense. I think straight up jail is probably only retribution serving in the case of non adults. But confinement with a heavy dose of rehabilitation seems reasonable. Until rehabilitated, he should not be free to reoffend. The public should be protected. And probation only until 19 is absurd. Should be more like 25, when brain development most likely is done, and he can be assessed for the likelyhood to reoffend. The point of the system should be to protect the public and rehabilitate the offender so that the public no longer needs protection from them. The current sentence doesn’t do either. The “aggressive” schedule of therapy just means it happens over a short period of time. Very few things work better that way. Therapy certainly isn’t one of them.

        • RagingRobot@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          He strangled someone unconscious. She could have died. Then he raped her. He should be in there longer than a year for sure

          • Rekorse@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            2 days ago

            I didnt mean he should only get a year, I’m saying prison sentences in america are too long in general. I’d say maybe 4-5 years, adding time if he doesnt rehabilitate.