Posted on 12/07/2009 10:15:22 AM PST by sevinufnine
Once the courts start to dismiss these types of crimes, more people will use that as a means to hurt their children.
And, if that’s the case - as concerned citizens I guess we
should start getting in the habit of looking in the back of peoples cars.
I have nothing constructive on this topic other than this:
The name ‘Blacksburg’ is highly offensive to me and has racial overtones. We can never move forward as a people or as a nation of healing when such great attempts as naming a city ‘Blacksburg’ is used an attempt to oppress my fellow people of color, some outstanding citizens of color in blacksburg include the like of michael and marcus vick. This portrayal of this comoonity cannot proceed as it is......
Therefore I motion we have a parade and a boycott of the town until it is renamed its proper name.......Caucasionally-disenfranchisedburg. Thank you.
/s
Just a successful late term abortion.
There is a cost/benefit analysis to be done here. First the crime (or mistake) of carelessness in forgetting a child in a car seat is fairly uncommon and as reasnable people can tell you the unintentional death of a child is it’s own deterrent of a much larger magnitude than prison.
So the benefit to society in deterring other careless parents is minimal compared to the cost of incarcerating for deterrance purposes.
Prisons are pretty much overflowing already so taking up space with someone unlikely to re-offend, since their offense was unintentional in the first place is a waste of resources when there are plenty of intentional criminals who inflict violence on society on a regular basis and are highly likely to re-offend.
I’d rather keep a intentional and violent criminal in for longer than take up space with a non-violent airheaded accidental criminal.
The same argument can be made for the punishment aspect as well. Prison pales in comparison to the death of a child as it’s own punishment, so once again prison is an expensive additional punishment for an accidental offense where there are legions of intentional offenders daily harming society.
If the state is going to show mercy, I’d rather it be to the accidental criminal than the numerous rapists, pedophiles and cop killers they currently seem to favor.
“Call it insulting if you wish, but one is only insulted if they can see they are wrong and don’t like it.”
Nonsense, I could call you a child rapist and you would be right to be offended. under your logic you would be wrong to be offended.
“You completely FAIL to miss one or more of the aspects of incarceration:”
And you completely fail to know what the heck you are talking about.
“Punishment: She gets to go to jail for her crime AGAINST SOCIETY. “
If the prosecutor deems that appropriate. perhaps you prefer vigilantes.
“Deterrance: Sending people to jail deters OTHERS from committing the same crime (or, to some, making the same “mistake”).”
So sending her to jail for 3-5 years is more of a deterrent than the death of her child? Sounds like you are the one that FAILS.
No, but we do put people in prison for punishment.
It’s no different from a child that wanders out of the house and drowns in a pool while the mother is taking a nap? Are you going to punish her for taking a nap?"
Not for taking a nap, but where does negligence enter the picture? Using your scenario, did the mother leave the back door open and the pathway clear to the pool, knowing her child had the capacity to walk or run that distance? What about leaving poisonous cleaners out within reach of the child? What about leaving broken electrical outlets or frayed electrical cords within reach?
Negligence is punishable. Culpable negligence is punishable. From the point where you put the child in the vehicle, you have knowledge of that act. Are you saying the mother didn't know that the child was in the vehicle, that she didn't put the child in the vehicle? Would it be negligence if the mother didn't secure a young child in the seat, left the window down, and the child leaped or fell out the window of the moving car?
Are you saying that these situations cannot be punished for punishment's sake?
Careful, logic seems to warrant an attack on this thread.
I disagree that we put people in prison to prevent crime.
We put them there as punishment FOR a crime. Sad as it is, she neglected her child. That’s a crime.
Then there are people who may find this an easy way to get rid of an unwanted child.
Hey, you could go camping and “lose” your child by “accident”
and get off scot-free. You see where this could set a dangerous precedent?
“One question is... was she chatting on the phone during the time she thought she dropped her child off at day care?”
In most of these cases, there is a change in routine. Most of the impairment involves lack of sleep in these cases.
This is borrowed and paraphrased from a fellow Freeper: "Would you leave a purse or wallet with a million dollars in it unattended in your car?"
I think everyone asked would answer "No.", however, many of these same folks can come up with all sorts of excuses as to why a person shouldn't be held responsible in these cases.
The Blacksburg High mascot had to be changed from the Indians to the Bruins a few years back.
I believe it....
Absolutely par for the course
Protection of society from the wrongdoer;
Deterrence of the wrongdoer or those who know of his/her crimes from committing the same or similar offenses,
Rehabilitation of the wrongdoer,
Punishment of the wrongdoer, and
(Applicable to military courts only) Preservation of good order and discipline in the military.
Now, I will grant you that only one principle would apply in a case such as this, and that would be punishment only. I am not saying that hard jail time would be necessary, but rather some punishment should be required ... how about community service in the form of being required to go to post-natal clinics in the area and explaining what occurred to new mothers, to possibly have enough impact on them to ensure that they don't do the same ... or some other community service such as that.
Prison and jail time isn't the only punishment that was available in this situation. But not prosecuting the woman for her negligent act is not the answer either.
No..I would not be offended at all if you called me a child rapist because it’s not true and never will be. Try again....
Deep thinker eh
I wonder if the Blacksburg Police even bothered to do a proper investigation? My confidence in that department decreases with every news article released.
For instance: A toddler’s body left in the car in the sun all day would make the car stink of body waste. Did she really not smell anything before arriving at day care?
“Hey, you could go camping and “lose” your child by “accident” and get off scot-free.”
So we punish parents for any child that gets lost???
Face it, I can probably point out negligence in the loss of any child. The question is “What do you hope to gain by punishing the person for an accident?”. All it will do is cost us money to house her for a few years. Nothing will change except we will have to release a gang-banger or DWI offender to make room for her. I don’t see what we hope to gain. There was no willful intent so I don’t see what we expect to change.
We have a madman on the loose that killed two college kids just outside of town. I’m worried about that.
This woman is already doing similar work on her own to raise awareness of the problem.
Prosecutor’s offices have budgets. Prosecutions cost money. Would you rather have them spend their budget on intentional violent criminals or on non-violent accidental offenders?
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