Poppagator: "In the US, persons under the age of 18 cannot be sentenced to terms extending beyond their 21st birthday ~ even murderers. So, a 17 year old killer is back out on the streets in four years. And his juvenile record generally cannot be presented at trial if and when he is caught commtting another crime as an adult. Go figure. "

Guest: "Exceptions to the rule above are those cases in which the court tries a juvenile offender as an adult, because the crime the juvenile committed was of a particularly heinous nature. "

John Hardly: "...but I double Guar-an-damn-tee you that as soon as the first legislator DARES to try to suggest it -- or, dare I wish, the first law is passed to that effect.......there will be an ARMY of lawyers (probably from the ACLU *wink*) suing on the basis that we abolished slavery 150 years ago. "

brucie: a judge in Hinton told a kid who'd thrown eggs at someone's business that he would go and scrub every bit of detrius OFF the window and that his mom and dad would go with him to ensure the job was done properly. Today, the judge's decision would likely be overturned on appeal. Bloody sad is what it is. "

Boy. Do you guys live in a different world - not to say, country - than I do. In the US where I live MANY kids have to do restitution. MANY kids have to clean up and repair damage they have caused. SOME kids as young as 13 have been tried as adults. (A shame, that. imo)