People can be horribly cruel, and when their acts can be demonstrated to have caused harm they should be held accountable.

Teens are not adults but that doesn't mean they are innocent small children either, and it doesn't mean that they can't calculate some incredibly unkind or downright criminal acts. I think many harbor the notion that they can get away with it because of their age--this dovetails with the feeling of immortality many teens also feel.

If they don't figure out that the world doesn't revolve around them, they are in for a lot of trouble, and perhaps harm or incarceration. Parents who coddle their children and tell them they're better than anyone else do them a drastic disservice. My two are mid and late teens right now, and as smart as they are, I still keep my fingers crossed and my eyes open regarding these most difficult of years. That is why the computer is in the living room and in full sight any time I walk through. If the screen is dropped when I come near, I ask that it be raised. So far (and I hope it will continue) it has always been harmless.

SRS