What do you do with a 14yo who has just murdered ?

[whiffey]

Just shot another human being. Never mind the parents and the sociological aspects, what do we do with that 14yo ?

The only answer I have is to lock them up, but that in the long term is only going to give us an ever-increasing prison population because this problem is not only not going away, it is going to increase remorselessly.

Any solutions or shall we just throw the towel in and emigrate, give up, let them have it their way.

A 14yo KNOWS that shooting someone is WRONG. We need to stop pussyfooting around and start punishing these animals savagely.

[B00]

Linky please?

And I'd like to point out that no animal would behave like this, to use that word is an insult to them.

[dot.hawkes]

where do these kids get hold of guns anyway?

[China Doll]

Boobies - Ants start wars, take prisoners and make slaves so your statement is not entirely true.

Whiffey I don't know. I agree that a 14 year old does know the difference between right and wrong. I also agree about the ever increasing prison population. I don't know the answer. But when you say savagely, what do you mean by that?

[Redbel]

Hiya whiffey......are you talking about the 11year old who was shot in Liverpool?.......the 14year old and the 18year old have been released.

[weeal]

The amount of teenagers this past few months who have been shot/stabbed by other teenagers is frightening. And shootings/beatings leading to deaths over the past fortnight is unbelievable!!! Its like BREAKING NEWS on the telly every single day with one disaster after another this past while, soon we wont even bat an eyelid.

[whiffey]

CD I actually don't know. I felt a sense of anger and frustration when I posted the thread but there is actually NO SOLUTION, that is what is so damned off-pi$$ing. Instead there will be some sullen hooded chip-on-the-shoulder kid who needs a thrashing but won't get one, more probably yoof detention while social workers are sent in to support the single parent. And tomorrow there will be another shooting, and more discussions on the TV.

[Redbel]

Dot, was listening to the news reports today and these kids can get a gun for �50......where do they get the money.......their parents.....when I was a kid I got �2 a week...these spoit brats want a tenner a day now....for doing nothing.....I earned my �2 for keeping by bedroom tidy and doing chores around the house...the kids of today want it for nothing.

[Redbel]

nowt*

[dot.hawkes]

I wondered who would be the first to use the 'single parent' cliche, we don't know yet anything about the killer, you may be right, the killer may be the child from a one parent family, but don;t presume.

[weeal]

Wasnt it the Isle of Man or somewhere that had no crime rate because it still used the birch? Why have we all gone so bloomin soft...human rights folks making up unwavering rules about why this isnt allowed any more and that isnt allowed any more. Even kids of 4 now know their rights, Ive heard them. "you cant touch me, I will report you to the such-n-such" . Scary planet.

[Redbel]

whiffey....I don't think single parents are to blame for everything....why single out single parents?

[weeal]

the single parent thing is just an excuse the kid uses as a reason for why they are bad, hoping for the sympathy vote, its not a 'real' reason or blame

[China Doll]

Well I know you said you did want to get in to the sociological aspects of it but do you not think that's part of the problem?

See, to my way of thinking it's a bit late wondering what to do with a kid like that after they've committed the crime. I'd rather stop a kid like that from developing in the first place. And to do that, I think you do have to look at the surroundings.

I'm talking in general here at the moment as I've not kept up to date with the story and I'm by no means excusing or giving a get out clause to little thugs. But I want to know why this happens in the first place.

Peer presure? Poverty? Parents? The letter 'P'? I don't know what the answer is. But I do think that by the time the next little sh1t gets in it in to their head to fire a gun and gets caught then we already lost the battle.

The punishment needs to fit. I agree. However, it'd be better if it just didn't happen at all.

[weeal]

China Doll I agree with you but that means its not really fixable as theres no way to tell if a child will become a killer or not. I doubt if they fit the old sterotypical profiling which says to look out for them being 'bad to pets' etc in their younger years. Its prob a mixture of lack of respect and weapons being too available. Think the Internet has a part in it all?? you can buy anything anonymously on the web now!

[whiffey]

OK there is the wider discussion, but what I asked is what society does here and now with that 14yo (tomorrow maybe 12, 10, 8) who has just killed another human being.

What do we do with that person ?

[weeal]

What did they do with the young murderers who killed wee Jamie Bolger? gave them new identities and a new life abroad thats what they get. Its sick.

[China Doll]

I know, I know Whiffey, sorry for the tangent. I've already answered really. I honestly don't have a clue.

You can argue the death penalty, beating them.. To me that just makes them a little more savage and us a lot more inhuman.

If I say Imprison them for 20 years, make them work, educate and rehabilitate the blighters so that when they come out they can function as useful members of society then that will be seen as too leiniant (sp).

I'm not sure there is a right answer. I'm sure there's a wiser person on here than me that might have a some concept.