Car thefts by 12 yo. Released to parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kid stole another car Tuesday night in Silver Spring after he had been released to the custody of his parents. At what point is enough enough here?

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/12-year-old-accused-maryland-car-dealership-break-ins-released-parents-strikes-again-police?taid=66d8797ab30c2e000154674c&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

Kids deserves a community award for pointing out the lax security in Silver Spring. A 12 year old shouldn't be able to break into a dealership.

The latest theft wasn't from a car dealership, he just stole a car from a parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kid stole another car Tuesday night in Silver Spring after he had been released to the custody of his parents. At what point is enough enough here?

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/12-year-old-accused-maryland-car-dealership-break-ins-released-parents-strikes-again-police?taid=66d8797ab30c2e000154674c&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

According to the article, once the boy turns 13 (or commits a violent crime) then everything changes. That’s the law, and it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. This is an extreme example, but do you really want 12-year olds processed in the criminal justice system for non-violent crimes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kid stole another car Tuesday night in Silver Spring after he had been released to the custody of his parents. At what point is enough enough here?

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/12-year-old-accused-maryland-car-dealership-break-ins-released-parents-strikes-again-police?taid=66d8797ab30c2e000154674c&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

According to the article, once the boy turns 13 (or commits a violent crime) then everything changes. That’s the law, and it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. This is an extreme example, but do you really want 12-year olds processed in the criminal justice system for non-violent crimes?

When it’s something repeated like this then yes. I think he should be treated as a juvenile not an adult but he needs serious consequences. One time, fine, release to parent. But at some point maybe on 3rd offense or amount of $$ involved it gets treated more harshly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kid stole another car Tuesday night in Silver Spring after he had been released to the custody of his parents. At what point is enough enough here?

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/12-year-old-accused-maryland-car-dealership-break-ins-released-parents-strikes-again-police?taid=66d8797ab30c2e000154674c&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

According to the article, once the boy turns 13 (or commits a violent crime) then everything changes. That’s the law, and it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. This is an extreme example, but do you really want 12-year olds processed in the criminal justice system for non-violent crimes?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!

[Anonymous]

Did I miss something? Why are the only choices for punishment to do nothing or to send him to juvie? What about community service? There needs to be some consequence to try to discourage negative behavior before kids have to be sent to juvie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did I miss something? Why are the only choices for punishment to do nothing or to send him to juvie? What about community service? There needs to be some consequence to try to discourage negative behavior before kids have to be sent to juvie.

How are you going to enforce this? So far he’s gotten away with stealing cars and there’s been no consequence. You think he’s going to show up for trash pick up duty? Are the police going to arrest him for not doing community service? The same police that don’t arrest him for stealing cars?

[Anonymous]

I think the parents need to be held accountable and given some training, monitoring, a fine and some parenting assistance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kid stole another car Tuesday night in Silver Spring after he had been released to the custody of his parents. At what point is enough enough here?

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/12-year-old-accused-maryland-car-dealership-break-ins-released-parents-strikes-again-police?taid=66d8797ab30c2e000154674c&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

According to the article, once the boy turns 13 (or commits a violent crime) then everything changes. That’s the law, and it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. This is an extreme example, but do you really want 12-year olds processed in the criminal justice system for non-violent crimes?

When it’s something repeated like this then yes. I think he should be treated as a juvenile not an adult but he needs serious consequences. One time, fine, release to parent. But at some point maybe on 3rd offense or amount of $$ involved it gets treated more harshly.

Isn’t this behavior glamorized in video games like Grand Theft Auto and in movies like “Gone in 60 Seconds”? Should we point the finger at ourselves?

[Anonymous]

My father used to own a small garage/dealership. A teenager did this to his shop, crashed the car and injured someone, and it financially ruined my parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t disagree something needs to change. I also agree parents need to be held accountable. However let’s assume this is a single working mom. If she is arrested and has other younger kids what do we do with them? Foster care? Put them in the system? What do we do with kids already in foster care of living with an Aunt or Grandparent, arrest them?
If she loses her job because of incarceration then what?
It sucks all around.

There are plenty of working mothers whose kids aren’t out stealing cars repeatedly. There is something more going on at that house. And if there are other kids there, maybe they’ll be better off not being in that environment. And yes, caregivers (no matter who they are) who do nothing when their kid commits multiple crimes should be held responsible.

Let’s not let a hypothetical narrative get in the way of trying to address the problem.

It sounds to me like you're the one with the hypothetical narrative. You seem awfully committed to it, in fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We need to go back to the Code of Hammurabi. I can guarantee you all this retail and car theft crap would stop real quick if they simply lopped off the hands of anyone caught stealing. The punishment would make it not worth it to commit those kinds of crimes. It’s amazing how we haven’t learned anything when humans figured out the solution 3,000 years ago. That’s the only way humans with animalistic instincts will ever be deterred.

Ah, you're one of those people who hate America and everything it stands for.

Move to Saudi Arabia or something already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did I miss something? Why are the only choices for punishment to do nothing or to send him to juvie? What about community service? There needs to be some consequence to try to discourage negative behavior before kids have to be sent to juvie.

How are you going to enforce this? So far he’s gotten away with stealing cars and there’s been no consequence. You think he’s going to show up for trash pick up duty? Are the police going to arrest him for not doing community service? The same police that don’t arrest him for stealing cars?

+100

That would put the "policing" onto some sort of nonprofit or other entity with volunteer jobs. No, thanks. I would not want to manage the work of car thieves.

[Anonymous]

What about CPS? How did the parents not know where their kid was? What are their consequences? Was this child released to the parents without any responsibility for the parents?

[Anonymous]

This latest incident was 11:30pm. The one at the dealership was in the middle of the night. He’s 12. Does he even have parents? This is the kind of neglected kids that teachers have to deal with now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the parents need to be held accountable and given some training, monitoring, a fine and some parenting assistance.

This. They probably want support--their child is incorrigible. Sometimes, parents need help from the state. For all we know they may wonderful parents, and their kid may just be a total dud right now.