Lexi,
excellent assessment. However, there's no getting away from punishment being the most effective deterrent.

Dear Individual,

The difficulty lies in giving a sentence most
likely to deter re-offending and to promote
rehabilitation. This is made even more difficult
becauase I believe that the laws vary from
state to state. One Magistrate tries to make the
punishment fit the offender rather than the crime.
But again this could be problematic depending on
the Magistrate's perception (and labeling) of
certain offenders.

Perhaps that's why justice wears a blindfold.

Perhaps that's why justice wears a blindfold.
Lexi,
yes and you can't see the ear plugs either. When I witnessed a chap being slapped around a little by real Policemen it became clear that he wasn't going to steal another phone.
The louts where I live on the contrary actually got away with smashing a Policeman's private car, the Police car, another two Policemen's front door & they still didn't get punished.
Government housing is never immune to damage either & no-one's charged.
Yes our system is great.

Hi there LEXI, I do agree with much of what you've written, I'm surprised too at how much traction this topic has got ? Clearly, it's an issue that concerns us all. Therefore, why are our pollies ommitting to act ?

Something that's always intrigued me, I can't recall the number of times we've arrested a 'young person', and before we can put questions to that 'young person' we first must get a parent, or if unavailable, a responsible adult NOT connected to police, to be present before we can ask junior a single question.

Consequently, junior is usually locked in a cell (on his own), you go around to his parents abode in order to get one or both to accompany you back to the Station, and they're out - often down the club/pub, totally unaware that their little 'junior' instead of being in bed, is out and about committing crimes with gay abandon. While his parent's are out having fun.

I believe the root cause of most juvenile crime, starts with the parents. Imposition of harder punishment(s) by the Courts is simply treating the effect, rather than the cause ?

QUALITY parental control and love are what's needed initially. Parent(s) should provide a positive example of how to behave.

Another huge problem, there's absolutely no discipline in the government school system. Teachers are not permitted to exercise any discipline, other than to mildly rebuke a kid for misbehaviour.

Private schools do fare a little better, though you'd never think so by the behaviour of their charges during 'schoolies week' ?

o sung wu,
The thing that gets to me is that when Police are looking for someone they have to overcome that many idiotic stupid hurdles the main one being getting the ok from someone higher up.
Why are criminals young or old being given 110% benefit of doubt when Police & victim get none !
How much more blatant do young offenders need to get before these idiot legal aid & civil libertarians get the gist of what's happening to our society. Only the other day I listened to that moron from the civil libertarian crowd objecting to some sober proposal. It's people like him who should be targeted by some thugs. Perhaps they could bash some sense into him although I somehow doubt that's possible. Some people are just too stupid.

Dear o sung wu,

Young people present problems which don't disappear.
As parents, teachers, police officers, we all need
specific skills for dealing effectively (and
humanely) with minute-to-minute happenings - the
small irritations, the daily conflicts, the sudden
crises. All these situations call for helpful and
realistic reactions. Our responses whether we are
parents, or teachers, or police officers have
crucial consequences. They can create a climate of
compliance or defiance, a mood of contentment or
contention, a desire to make amends or take revenge.
Our behaviour affects the yougsters conduct and
character for better or for worse.

These are the facts of emotional life. I know the laws
aren't perfect and there is much room for improvement.
Different laws in different states also make things
difficult. However, authorities at their best display
a common orientation. They try to deal with each
individual situation as it comes up with the skills
that they possess and within the boundaries that the
law allows.