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For that the blame goes to the parents. Where were her parents in this? Aren't they the kind of parents that have no clue what their children are doing? Did they give her any guidance at all? Did they pay any attention to the kind of parties she was going to and the kind of low-lives she was hanging out with.
Parents have a responsibility to make rules for their kids -- and that includes the idiots who raised the rapists.
Kids have been pulling stuff like this for years. I have no idea what kind of parents these kids have but kids have made excuses for years to sneak off to parties.
Parents have a responsibility to make rules for their kids
Fair enough - I couldn't agree more. But apart from minatory advice in a general kind of way, how does that matter? Absolutely - parents should be better parents. But in practical, concrete terms, how is that to be achieved?
Should the parents of all minors charged with crimes also be charged? And why stop with the parents - do aunts and uncles and grandparents have no responsibility for their young relatives? Perhaps less, so rate it a minor misdemeanor, like jaywalking?
True. It seems like a whole lot more people should be going to prison - who supplied the girl the alcohol so she would get drunk and raped? Those who supply underage drinkers alcohol should face much harsher sentences than they do. And of course the rapists need to go to prison for a long long time.
People DO go to jail all the time out here for buying alcohol for kids, or for selling alcohol to kids. I think teen drinking has a lot to do with the expectations of the adults in the community. If they wink and nudge about it, and expect the kids to do it as a rite of passage, then the kids are going to drink. If the parents set the expectation that it's not ok, and there are consequences at home, they don't. I live in a small rural community and our student athletes, at least with the current crop of kids in the high school, don't drink at all. Nebraska got serious about enforcing minor in possession laws, and going after adults who supply alcohol. The end result is that the parents changed once they saw peers and kids getting ticketed and arrested. It's no longer tolerated, because the consequences are enforced.
Fair enough - I couldn't agree more. But apart from minatory advice in a general kind of way, how does that matter? Absolutely - parents should be better parents. But in practical, concrete terms, how is that to be achieved?
Should the parents of all minors charged with crimes also be charged? And why stop with the parents - do aunts and uncles and grandparents have no responsibility for their young relatives? Perhaps less, so rate it a minor misdemeanor, like jaywalking?
Child neglect. I think if you're going to choose to have children, they are your responsibility and you have to pay attention to what your children are doing. The parents of the rapists were obviously not paying attention but also the parents of the little girl were not paying attention. Just like you can get in trouble for letting your dogs run loose, you should be expected to take care of your children.
There is a whole lot of blame to be given here. If the girl's parents were not neglecting their duty, she would have been home and safe -- like a whole lot of 16 year old girls were that night. If the boy's parents had been paying attention and being responsible parents, their spawn wouldn't have turned out to think rape was great entertainment.
Did any of these parents have any clue what their kids were doing that night? They most certainly should have. And who supplied all the liquor?
Very good point, even though I'm sure the OP was asking how we, as uninformed court watchers feel. But you're certainly correct in that we are totally ignorant of facts. For pure ignorance, see any other 'trial' thread, specifically the Trayvon threads. Ignorance abounds.
But to answer the OPs question.............I honestly don't know. The girl was clearly guilty of placing herself in a vulnerable position and drinking herself blind. One can't put out 'come and get it' actions and then scream like a bloodied banshee when she does 'get it'.
The boys are old enough to act like gentlemen. They didn't.
They're all guilty of stupidity. But are the boys any more guilty of the girl? I'm not one to think silly girls acting and dressing like sluts are innocent little flowers.
They're all guilty. I don't suppose the boys should rot in detention for a couple of years any more than she should.
Pretty bad when a 17-year old convicted rapist demonstrates better sense:
"When it came to Richmond’s turn, he walked towards the victim and her family, across the courtroom, weeping; ‘I would like to apologise. I had no intention to put you guys through this. I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. I ruined her life."
People DO go to jail all the time out here for buying alcohol for kids, or for selling alcohol to kids. I think teen drinking has a lot to do with the expectations of the adults in the community. If they wink and nudge about it, and expect the kids to do it as a rite of passage, then the kids are going to drink. If the parents set the expectation that it's not ok, and there are consequences at home, they don't. I live in a small rural community and our student athletes, at least with the current crop of kids in the high school, don't drink at all. Nebraska got serious about enforcing minor in possession laws, and going after adults who supply alcohol. The end result is that the parents changed once they saw peers and kids getting ticketed and arrested. It's no longer tolerated.
Yes -- the bad parents need a little push from the law -- I think drunken kids should have vehicles confiscated and crushed -- and it shouldn't matter if it was daddy's new BMW he leant his brat to use.
If parents won't do it, then the community has to do it for them. These drunken orgies of high school kids should be shut down -- if their idiot parents won't control their kids, then the police need to intervene and a little jail time beats prison time.
Child neglect. I think if you're going to choose to have children, they are your responsibility and you have to pay attention to what your children are doing. The parents of the rapists were obviously not paying attention but also the parents of the little girl were not paying attention. Just like you can get in trouble for letting your dogs run loose, you should be expected to take care of your children.
There is a whole lot of blame to be given here. If the girl's parents were not neglecting their duty, she would have been home and safe -- like a whole lot of 16 year old girls were that night. If the boy's parents had been paying attention and being responsible parents, their spawn wouldn't have turned out to think rape was great entertainment.
Did any of these parents have any clue what their kids were doing that night? They most certainly should have. And who supplied all the liquor?
Of course: I think almost everyone will agree that the world would be a much better place if parents took their responsibilities to their children more seriously. We should all strive to be better parents. But again, apart from homily and example, is there anything concrete to be done?
You mention child neglect, which is a criminal charge in many (all?) states. You suggest that the girl's parents were guilty of it, and that may well be true. Others here have suggested the preposterous notion that the girl should be imprisoned. But perhaps the girl should soon be visiting her own parents in a state prison?
Very good point, even though I'm sure the OP was asking how we, as uninformed court watchers feel. But you're certainly correct in that we are totally ignorant of facts. For pure ignorance, see any other 'trial' thread, specifically the Trayvon threads. Ignorance abounds.
But to answer the OPs question.............I honestly don't know. The girl was clearly guilty of placing herself in a vulnerable position and drinking herself blind. One can't put out 'come and get it' actions and then scream like a bloodied banshee when she does 'get it'.
The boys are old enough to act like gentlemen. They didn't.
They're all guilty of stupidity. But are the boys any more guilty of the girl? I'm not one to think silly girls acting and dressing like sluts are innocent little flowers.
They're all guilty. I don't suppose the boys should rot in detention for a couple of years any more than she should.
So if I accidentally leave my door unlocked, I'm just as guilty as the guy who breaks into my house, robs me, and murders my family? If I run a stop sign and nearly hit someone, then it's ok for the guy who I nearly hit to come after me with a gun and shoot me? As usual, you've got some sick and twisted logic. Stupidity shouldn't put you in jail--that's left for people who commit violent crimes, like rapists. You act like those boys had no idea what they were doing and had no control. It wasn't about being a gentleman--it was about purposefully committing a crime.
For that the blame goes to the parents. Where were her parents in this? Aren't they the kind of parents that have no clue what their children are doing? Did they give her any guidance at all? Did they pay any attention to the kind of parties she was going to and the kind of low-lives she was hanging out with.
Parents have a responsibility to make rules for their kids -- and that includes the idiots who raised the rapists.
You are correct. The primary offender(s) are the parents.
They should be charged with abuse and neglect.
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