Little Boys Cause Thousands In Damage To Church

[BG45]

[quote name='GeorgiiMichael' timestamp='1344665162' post='2465938']
And let's be honest here, you're obviously at fault in this scenario. He beat a level, that's serious business. You should have been as excited as he was.
[/quote]
[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1344703331' post='2466105']
Technically if he hit you, I think jelly-bean throwing is an assault..... we would have had to write that up at the Residential Care center... but I think I would let that one pass....

Ya know, we need a food fight emoticon....
[/quote]

GeorgiiMichael is right, I should have been more excited. And yeah I think I'll let it pass, rather than be one of those overreactive types.

[AccountDeleted]

I'm with Catherine on this. I am a parent and no way would my 7 year old daughter have been allowed to play unsupervised with another child of the same age,especially long enough to do the damage they did. Where were the responsible adults???

[AnneLine]

I dunno, BG... I think you might get investigated for corrupting a minor here..... you gave him bad example, taught him to toss jelly beans (he has no history of priors....)

I perhaps it is time to call your confessor.... and oh, to be able to see Father's face! "Bless me, Father, for I have corrupted a child by teaching him to toss jelly beans....'


On a more serious note... did anyone read those comments on the article? It sounds as if the Church didn't want to file a complaint (misguided.... imho... as the kids SHOULD be held accountable) and/or that the laws in their area wouldn't LET them do so. Thoughts?

I'm not sure if I read it right, but I don't think it was that the kids were unsupervised during the bible school, but that they came BACK to do their deeds. Agreed - what supervision are they getting? And.. how did they get back? Lots of unanswered stuff here.....

Edited August 11, 2012 by AnneLine

[CatherineM]

Kids need consequences. I always told my kids that if they got in trouble, I'd still love them, and I'd come visit them, but I wouldn't help them evade consequences.

[BG45]

Maybe I should, just to see his face.

But yeah, from the comments it seems they don't want to...but good point, how did they get back there to take "revenge" if that were the case?

[she_who_is_not]

[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1344711040' post='2466154']
I dunno, BG... I think you might get investigated for corrupting a minor here..... you gave him bad example, taught him to toss jelly beans (he has no history of priors....)

I perhaps it is time to call your confessor.... and oh, to be able to see Father's face! "Bless me, Father, for I have corrupted a child by teaching him to toss jelly beans....'


On a more serious note... did anyone read those comments on the article? It sounds as if the Church didn't want to file a complaint (misguided.... imho... as the kids SHOULD be held accountable) and/or that the laws in their area wouldn't LET them do so. Thoughts?

I'm not sure if I read it right, but I don't think it was that the kids were unsupervised during the bible school, but that they came BACK to do their deeds. Agreed - what supervision are they getting? And.. how did they get back? Lots of unanswered stuff here.....
[/quote]

I just wrote a response that got deleted. So, I'll summarize. In TN, there is no official procedure in juvenile court. Usually, there is only one prosecutor assigned to Juvenile, so social workers and probation officers usually end up adjudicating cases. When I started practicing in Juvenile Court in TN, I was advised to, "just make it [the law] up." I'm serious. The article seemed to suggest that there is an ongoing DCS investigation. I don't think charges will be brought until the investigation concludes. If there is a finding of Dependency and Neglect, they probably won't bring charges due to the age of the juvenile. If charges are brought, the church wouldn't need to file a complaint; the prosecutor could file a petition without it. Trials in juvenile court are bound by no rules of evidence, so criminal procedure is not really necessary. My thoughts, informed by my knowledge of the region, are that the parents of these children may have already been "known" by DCS workers. Due to the children's age, any court proceedings will probably be closed and the children will be ordered into counseling, community service, and social services supervision for an indeterminate amount of time. I've seen kids who have been under the supervision of the court for 5+ years without ever being formally charged or adjudicated. Of course, this is problematic from a defense standpoint, but I think it also diminishes the perpetrator's own culpability for their actions.

[BG45]

Wow SWIN, thanks for giving us your personal experience with the system that's investigating things right now and what will probably happen! I'd wager on your experience being spot on as to what happens, as much as I cringed my way through your post with things like "just make it up".

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' timestamp='1344621110' post='2465631']
It's horrible. I can't imagine my kids or any kids I know behaving like that. It's NOT normal. Six and seven year olds (and their parents) should be held responsble to help in the clean-up and restitution. I'm glad DCS is looking into it.
[/quote]

Totally agree.

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1344637851' post='2465750']
Why were 6 and 7 year olds unsupervised long enough to do this? If they were at bible camp, where was the teacher? Where we're their parents?
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure the article said VBS had been the week before. From the sound of the article it's probably how they knew where all the stuff was, but not the reason why they were there.

[she_who_is_not]

[quote name='BG45' timestamp='1344739064' post='2466329']
Wow SWIN, thanks for giving us your personal experience with the system that's investigating things right now and what will probably happen! I'd wager on your experience being spot on as to what happens, as much as I cringed my way through your post with things like "just make it up".
[/quote]

I think this is why we need more collaboration between researchers and practitioners in the area of criminal justice. I can report the problem, but we need academics--that's you--to identify the solution. Oh, and then that tricky part about making the legislators implement the solution.

Edited August 12, 2012 by she_who_is_not

[BG45]

[quote name='she_who_is_not' timestamp='1344740372' post='2466336']
I think this is why we need more collaboration between researchers and practitioners in the area of criminal justice. I can report the problem, but we need academics--that's you--to identify the solution. Oh, and then that tricky part about making the legislators implement the solution.
[/quote]

Oh you mean the part where they ignore both of us? Amen though, it seems far too often both academics and practitioners both like their little cliques and hate to work together. It was the subject of an issue of the journal [i]Criminology & Public Policy[/i] last year and had some of the bigger names in my part of things essentially begging for someone to give them money to do some of that cooperation!

[CatherineM]

I can't get into my church half the time on Sundays for mass because the elevator door stays permanently locked and they don't trust the ushers with the keys, but little kids can just wander in without setting off any alarms.