I put a kid in jail today

[Stupdworld]

<rant>

i'm in the prosecution clinic at my law school, and today i won my first verdict in a bench "trial" in junevile court. the kid got 5 days though.

in any case... watching the kid try to speak... and his mother.. i mean they were obviously poor, and the kid could barely communicate. and he is like 13-14. the mother was no winner either.

the judge said, at sentencing "we put you on probation on january 26, and on January 27 you started thumbing your nose at it"

to which the kid's mom pled "your honor my son has allergy problems"

....


its funny, but also kinda sad too. I am in this business to do good and all... but when the defendant refuses an attorney and barely has any communications skills.. its sad too.

im waiting for the dramatic trials, with the real scumbags... those are the ones that i want to win, and get the bad guys

but starting off with an unruly kid who doesnt know his ass from a hole in the wall.. well its just not the same.

i blame the kid for being a dick in general.. but... i guess im just not as jaded as everyone else at the state attorneys office...and its only inevitable that some day i will just not care as much who gets put away...


</rant>

[In Truth We Trust]

1. let us know when you have some good news like.....

putting a corrupt pol or ceo,cfo in jail........ maybe those type prosecutions would lead to less of what you did today

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Jail was the ONLY option for this kid?

Herein lies the problem.

Any minor should have mandatory legal representation because as you said, the kid had no knowledge...He probably was taught not to trust the legal system, and

What the kid needed instead was a strong MALE ADULT MENTOR to encourage him to "straighten up and fly right."

Oh, but now I remember (sarcasm on) that is probably too much social service money according to the Murkan justice system. Best that money went to a private prison instead.

[truthspeaker]

3. your mistake is addressing what would be effective

Our justice system is now about what makes us feel good. That kid broke the law? Teach him a lesson! Make an example of him!