Kids, Crime, And Punishment

Three visits to different websites, three different stories, all connected by a common thread. See if you can figure out what it is.

From the Grouchy Old Cripple comes a link to this story.

Pack of youths steal dozens of bicycles

About 50 youngsters poured into Druid Hill Park and stole four dozen bicycles Monday evening that city workers had put out for a popular bike-sharing program, authorities said.

"It's a kids-out-of-control issue," Merriam said. "It's a really brazen crime and really messed up on so many levels."

The incident is the second this week in which a large group of teens caused a problem, according to police. On Sunday, a fight broke out at Howard and West Pratt streets where young people were gathered, police said. Police are investigating reports that the teens assaulted people with bricks and sticks, and might have stolen a phone. Two juveniles were arrested.

In Monday's incident, police said, a group of youths, mostly boys, flooded the area where city workers had set up the bicycles about 5:30 p.m. Some of the youths might have been kicked out of the park pool earlier, according to city officials.

One of the youths kicked a worker, though the injury wasn't serious, officials said. They then fled on the bikes.

About the same time OldNFO posted this image, with an accompanying comment pointing out that most of our generation got an ass-whoppin' when deserved, and we as a generation seem to have turned out okay.

After absorbing those two posts, I then read the following story, which just left me shaking my head in disgust and reaching for more Kahlua to pour into my coffee.

Father Gets Probation For Making Son Walk Home From School

A Hawaii man has been sentenced to a year of probation after making his son walk a mile home from school.

Robert Demond was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.

Demond explained that his son had been involved in some sort of rule-breaking at school. When Demond picked him up, he asked about it, but his son refused to respond. Demond then stopped the car and told his son to walk to rest of the way home to think about what he had done, reports the Garden Island.

The judge, Kathleen Watanabe, ruled that the punishment was “old-fashioned” and inappropriate. She said that it is dangerous for children to walk alongside the road due to potential pedophiles. It was a form of punishment no longer supported by the community.

So what did the kid learn from all this? That he can behave however he wants, and his father is powerless to do anything about it.

Granted, pedophiles and reckless drivers are a concern, but I doubt the father would have put his son into any serious danger.

As for the punishment being “old-fashioned, maybe it is. But I would argue that a little "old-fashioned" discipline is what kids need today. As for the "form of punishment no longer supported by the community" comment, well, I don't know about the judge's community, but around here there would be plenty of support for the father.

WARNING: obligatory old fart reminiscence below.

I walked or rode my bike home from school every day from first grade until I bought my own car as a junior in high school (a 1962 Rambler station wagon). And I got ass-whoppin's from both parents when warranted. Neither of those two caused me to run amok stealing bicycles, assaulting people, or otherwise committing high crimes and misdemeanors.

Maybe my parents were on to something...