Boy 12 to fight Freddo Frog charge:
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/national/national/general/boy-12-to-fight-freddo-frog-charge/1678648.aspx?src=rss

http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/freddo-frog-case-confirms-need-urgent-justice-reform

I don't have any faith in the police at the best of times. I'd love to have faith in them as I believe in a strong rule of law, that applies equally to all. But it seems to me that you just cannot know what to expect from the police, at any time, regarding any matter.

Just this morning I went into Casino police station to report the most absurd and dangerous antics imposed upon me on the open highway by a driver towing a horsefloat for goodness sake!

I was in and out of the police station wthin five minutes, having given all the necessary details, that were written down by an officer on a piece of scrap paper. I presume I'll never hear from them again even though they said that they would call me in due course.

On other instances, that sort of thing has taken a long period of time, including filling out forms and giving a full written statement.

So to the freddo frog matter. Ok so the cop is sticking to his principles and upholding the charge. Well, if all cops did the same, then fine. If we had a zero-tolerance policing system, then ok. If we had a system that applied approximately equally to all and in which we had a pretty reasonable idea of what to expect then it would be ok.

But we don't. Faaaaaar from it!!

We just CANNOT have a system whereby trivial issues like this are officially dealt with while much more serious matters, such as some of the driving that I have experienced and reported over the last ten years, go unpunished.

Why do the police have wide-ranging powers of discretion if not for the better use of their own judgement about what is serious enough to pursue and what isn't?

Ludwig

<< I was in and out of the police station wthin five minutes, having given all the necessary details, that were written down by an officer on a piece of scrap paper. >>

They'd have a file on you by now, Ludwig, you've made so many of these reports! They're probably writing this one off as just another case of the boy who cried wolf. :)

Seriously, what do you expect them to do about it?

<< We just CANNOT have a system whereby trivial issues like this are officially dealt with while much more serious matters, such as some of the driving that I have experienced and reported over the last ten years, go unpunished. >>

I don't see lack of consistency as the problem, I see racism as the real issue here. As the retired judge, John Fogarty said, if this boy had been a white kid, he'd have been let off with a warning, which is of course the only sensible course of action for a person of this age and over a matter so minor.

The backlash of anger over this within the aboriginal community will just be another setback for the process of reconciliation. It's quite possible that this incident, and his stint in jail, will set the kid on a course of crime he may not otherwise have embarked on. A kindly talking-to and a word of encouragement from the police could well have had a positive impact. We'll never know that now though.

The first article you linked to contains a damning statistic. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths, aged 10 to 17, are nearly 30 times as likely to be in detention on an average day than other children, and in WA it's 45 times.

I heard a suggestion recently, made by an aboriginal elder, that Australia should consider setting up an aboriginal run prison in some of these hotspot areas. The use of aboriginal law and wisdom, and the greater cultural sensitivity in such a place, could well have a reforming impact that the current system is failing to achieve.

Bronwyn
Clearly the naughty corner for him. You gotta watch those criminal master mind children, today a freddo and a novelty then a car. Before you know it's a plane..... Then is a trillion or so dollars and the country will go broke.
But wait, isn't that why we have CEO's. Clearly he displays the prerequisite skills and attitudes of a budding cold selfish entrepreneur ....obviously, he's been taking advice from Col and our other resident self serving Liberals.

I blame those evil thought put out by the female incarnation of beelzeebobet herself do I dare mention her name and risk summoning up the evil incarnate herself...all that ethereal malicious incompetence.

Maybe he's a refugee in disguise? Some maniacal midget terrorist? how do we know he's indigenous? Because they said so? After all it is a Labor state, the police are therefore corrupt.
Obviously covering up for a high power socialist plot to undermine our country's morals in order to get control introduce mandate gay marriage.

Here fishy fishy fishy (he he)

OK ..... I know, (sigh)the naughty corner :-(

Hey Bronwyn I heard a great idea recently that we should get rid of the queen as head of state and replace her with an aboriginal royalty. It would be cool! I have no idea of weather they have such a concept, but maybe we could find the most pure of aboriginal lines and assign them royal status. It would bring the aboriginal people into their proper place as the first people of the country.

Also, KRudd loves a symbolic gesture so he'd surely be up for it. He does seem a bit worried about his 70 odd percent approval rating dropping to 68 though. It must be hard to make brave decisions in such a climate.

And think of the Womans day and New Idea having our very own royals to interview and follow around reporting on every time they take a dump!

But we said 'sorry', I thought this type of thing wouldn't happen any more! Yeh, right!
Seriously though, you lot just can't help but make anything you can into a racial issue.

When it comes to coloured kids, you simply can't win. Danmed if you do and danmed if you don't.

If they had let him off they would have been accussed of giving him a break in order to keep the peace and, as he has been charged, in your eyes they are racists!

How can they win?

'Seriously though, you lot just can't help but make anything you can into a racial issue.'

We're whistling for CJ.

'How can they win?'
Win? There's no winning. When it comes to aboriginal issues you can either be culturally insensitive and racist, or preventing them from integrating into modern society and standing by watching the abuse of children. Take your pick.

I agree that one Freddo Frog is quite trivial. However, it isn't just one Freddo Frog, the only thing that got ever stolen from that shop.I have lived around Aboriginal people and seen what it is like for shopkeepers in these areas. At any moment, a group of children might arrive. They will just walk around picking stuff up and putting it down, watching the shopkeeper the whole time. Often, they will play games: Three will disapear around a corner, two will stage a mock fight, one will ask the shopkeeper stupid questions and all of them are watching the shopkeeper the whole time, waiting for them to look the wrong direction. This might happen once in a day, it might happen twenty times.

Lets not pretend it is just a matter of one Freddo Frog.

White kids getting the same treatment isn't news.

examinator

LOL. You must have heard about how 'cranky' I've been lately and how I'm in need of a good laugh. :)

Yes, you're reeling them in, that's for sure. No running away now and leaving me to swat the flies, or yes, it will be the naughty corner. :)

So far there's lots buzzing around, but nothing of any substance worth taking a hit at.

Houellebecq

You're cheering me up too I see, even if your tongue is firmly planted in your cheek.

An aboriginal head of state would be okay by me. Much better than a television or sporting celebrity, which is what we'll end up with if we opt for a popularly elected head of state, as seems likely, when the republic idea finally does come about.

From what I heard on the news and radio today, this little treasure is no angel.
The freddo was obviously the frog that broke the camels back!

I don't care what race they are, if they steal and thieve from shops then insurance premiums go up and we all pay more for our goods.

Make the parents pay 10 times the value of the stolen goods(take it from their centrelink payments if necessary) every time their young kids steal something.
Surely that will help them to be stricter with their kids behaviour?

"They'd have a file on you by now, Ludwig, you've made so many of these reports! They're probably writing this one off as just another case of the boy who cried wolf. :)"

Bronwyn, I've made about one report a year on average over the last decade. I made a few early on and then had a big gap. I'd given up on it as I only ever once heard back that the police had actually pursued a complaint. But this one today simply had to be reported.

Yes they might have a file on me. If they do it is bound to be viewed negatively, rather than positively as a conscientious citizen concerned about road safety who takes the time to do his citizenly duty and report dangerous, stupid and unlawful antics occasionally.

"Seriously, what do you expect them to do about it?"

As with a complaint of any other nature - alleged theft, assault, vandalism, etc, I'd expect them to pursue it and lay charges if after a good analysis of the situation they deem it appropriate.

What do you think they should do? Just tell the complainant that there is nothing they can or will do? And therefore that rank drivers can get away all sorts of bullsh!t on our roads with impunity, until they cause an accident or kill someone or unless the police witness their antics.

"I don't see lack of consistency as the problem, I see racism as the real issue here."

Well, if it is racism, then it is a lack consistency, isn't it!

Whether or not it is racially motivated - and I'm not willing to accept that it is just because this boy is Aboriginal - it is certainly a setback for reconciliation, etc.

It is also a setback for the image of the police across all of Australian society. Or maybe it isn't. Maybe it just sits within the behavioral paradigm that we've come expect from the police.

I don't want to badmouth the cops. I dearly want to support them. But by crikey they do make it hard.

I had a car stolen & totally wrecked & also had a break-in worth a lot of $ by Aboriginal youngsters. The car thief got caught & the (white female) magistrate let him off with a caution. The burglars are still not identified. My (black) mate had his mobile phone stolen by a teenaged aboriginal girl (he saw her) & went to the (white & black) cops. Nothing ! he asked the cops why she hadn't been charged. they told him "well, we asked her if she took the phone & she said no".
Are these facts racist ?

It is quite likely that the young boy had been taught by his relatives and teachers that whites deserve to be stolen from. This thinking is very prevalent among many white history revisionist and quickly embraced by those wanting victim status with no responsibility.

Runner,

That is one of the most vile posts I have ever read.

Considering you hold yourself up as paragon of Christianity, I would hope that other Christians shrink from your closed minded bigotry.

While I believe in the zero tolerance approach, as small crimes lead to larger ones, I believe that there is an opportunity to heip the boy become a better citizen through the justice system.

Ignoring the issue or over punishing the child both will exclude him from becoming a productive citizen later.

Shadow Minister,
Runner is not all that far from the facts. I have had it said to me many times after break-ins that "they (public servants) can afford it". Another factor is that going to jail is a kind of initiation rite. I have (as JP) asked a young (indigenous) offender why he did so much ($80,000) damage to a shop & he said with glee "I can go jail now, all my mates are there".

Runner,
You're doing more for secular humanism that anything I could say.

Individual

I think Ludwig is correct the case is one of inconsistency not racial.
There are right royal little buggers who are white, yellow, brown, black and if there was a race pink with blue spots they would have a few too.

I've heard your 'they can afford it' comment from all of the above.

We tend to focus on the symptom not the cause.

DARK black secret I got caught as a child stealing a Cherry Ripe. Most children try it on.

It's as clear as rampant whale's penis (all 2 meters +), this irk is a problem and he need serious attention, but court over a Fredo frog and a toy? Come on! If he's that bad just wait and get him on something real.

Clearly the current methodology isn't working, time for something more innovative. e.g. is there a community shaming committee?

Just maybe there is more to this.

Examinator,
It goes without saying that the Freddo Frog case is waaaayyyy over the top & utterly unjustified. I remember about 33 years or so ago in Canberra when a broke, unemployed (white) person, knocked off a bar of chocolate & copped six months jail. Yes, this should not be about race but it always gets twisted in that direction. I'm merely bringing this up to see that race isn't the issue so far as the offender is concerned. It becomes racial when outsiders interfere.
If you really want to know what racism is go & live in a place where you are the minority & listen & watch majority Radio & TV. When you've done that you'll surprise yourself to no end at your previous opinion on these subjects.

We tend to focus on the symptom not the cause.
Examinator,
the cause is selfishness ! The symptom stems from the cause.

I respectfully reserve judgment without knowing all the facts [ fair enough, I feel ]. Needless to say, stories in the newspaper may be taken with a grain of salt [ equally, those reported on TV ] However, before passing judgment either for or against, perhaps one might read the following discovered on the web some time back.

http://thadeus-sez.blogspot.com/

Now read the story on police corruption.

Well all
Didn't anyone listen to the news today the Commissioner of Police has intervened and the case is now withdrawn
Apparently there were a few more issues around this matter which he declined to answer but as far as "Freddo Frog" the case is withdrawn

Thanks From
Dave

Examinator you write

'Runner,
You're doing more for secular humanism that anything I could say.

In actual fact the Secular humanist religion has done more harm to the aboriginals than all other organisations put together. Gough Whitlam and all his followers have enslaved generations of aboriginals with grog and welfare dependency.

Shadow Minister

If you think what I said was vile you are either ignorant or just plain deceitful denying reality. Anyone who has dealt with aboriginals over the years knows that their is a victim mentality despite the billions of sit down and guilt money paid to them. It has led to reverse racism and a stinking attitude among many who see the 'white man' only good for 2 dollars at the shops.If you refuse to give your $2 you will be called a white ... When the parents of these young ones have that attitude it is no wonder the kids follow. Any sensible person knows this incident being reported is not about a Freddo frog. Only the leftist media who are so dishonest has made it into this issue.