Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...174732753.html

Thoughts?

Update: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48292780#.UA8CR8i-TjU


Update: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/k...2#.UFObjsi-TjU

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Protecting rapists
Rescinding her freedom of speech
Amurica

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

They should be in jail. The rapists that is.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

I'd say that there are a lot of things wrong with this. For starters it's a prime example of our rather sucky legal system seeing as crimes don't scale at all with one another. Second, the lack of justice sought for the victim seems staggering. Third, depending on how well known their names become it's quite possible that she socially decimated them. I suppose it begs a couple questions:

What do you do when you feel the system has failed you?

The identity of her attackers are likely being protected due to their age. Should the legal system allow her freedom of speech and let her attackers be sentenced into becoming social outcasts because of their actions as children? Should age even factor into sex crimes at all?

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Rape is rape, it doesn't matter how old you are. It's always going to be traumatizing for the victim, and letting the rapist go free is going to instill in them the belief that it's ok and they can get away with it. So it shouldn't matter how old you are, if you rape someone, you should go to jail.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

These kids are what, high school seniors? We live in an internet age and it's well known that non-consensual sex is a bad thing. These kids who are nearly the age of a legal adult should be tried as such. If you commit an adult crime, then you should take all the intended and unintended consequences of your actions. The intended would be the jail sentence, the unintended would be becoming social outcasts

The only reason I could see them protecting their names is if there was a high chance of being killed. Although rape is a hienous crime, vigilantism and anything along along the lines of death threats, is not justified here.

Although on a side note, wouldn't they be tagged as sexual offenders for the rest of their lives? So one way or another, they're lives will change regardless whenever they try to get a job,apartment etc

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Then here's a question, where should the line be drawn in terms of age? How old is old enough to know better with regards to sex crimes?

Just so you know, the legal system protects the identities of kids who commit crimes namely because most people below the age of 18 are considered not mentally and emotionally mature enough to understand all the differences between right and wrong. And thus their identities are not released to the public so as to give them a chance at a potentially normal life and not be bogged down by mistakes made as a child.

I have heard that there's a policy that seals a minors record once they turn 18, which pretty much gives them a clean slate. Fairly sure it cancels the need to register as a sex offender too, but I'm not sure what rules are in place for it. Not sure if it could even apply to these guys considering that they are probably around the same age as the victim, 17.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Seems to me that the system completely failed this poor girl. She gets attacked and sexually assaulted, her identity is publicly known, not to mention everything these boys took from her. And yet, the system protects their identities because they're underage?

So basically she has to live with what happened, everyone knowing who she is and what she went through, yet her attackers get off pretty much clean. I'd want everyone to know who these boys were too, I'd want everyone to know who they are and what they did, let them deal with the social backlash especially if they aren't going to be punished by the law.

But no, she could end up spending half a year in prison instead, America is an awesome place I have to say.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

That's a question I can't really answer without realizing I'm still ignorant of a child's psychology and two, because the age thing is probably there for consistency rather than the actual age of the victim/perpetrators. To secure order, there's the rule of law. If every judge in this country was able to arbitrarily rule on cases based on circumstances, it'd be a lot different(perhaps worse). However, this same sentiment which likely deems boys who are only months away from being legally an adult,gives them a free get out a jail card and fails to uphold a sense of justice for the victim. In my own eyes the minute anyone has the desire for sex, they would have already known(it's on csi and all over our movies, rape isn't new) or would have figured out that sex without both peoples being on board is bad.

Though I got a lil side tracked, I'd say if we're strictly talking about age, I'd probably say around 16-18. Afterall, a few years difference may help our bodies mature enough for drugs like alcohol and cigarettes,but knowing rape is wrong should be blatantly obvious by the time you're interested in women. Which is in middle school commonly.

This I can't argue because again, ignorant of psychology. But if we were in court, arguing they aren't stupid would be beyond my ability since they started showing their friends like it was some sort of achievement. Yet since they're likely close to the legal age and committed such a heinous act, they should be tried as adults. Kinda like rasen said, the girl's identity as the victim isn't a secret thanks to them.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

That is a policy, but I'm not exactly sure which states have it or what kind of crimes they can use it to seal.


I'm also wondering why the prosecutors chose not to try them as adults seeing as they are 17. (Or maybe they did try, but judge ruled against it)

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

All I can really say is that I hope the judge doesn't ignore the Change.org petition. The legal system we have is ridiculous, but maybe the petition can make a difference. Good on her for standing up for herself though.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Update: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48292780#.UA8CR8i-TjU

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

It's rather sad how rapists get away with their crimes and statutory rapists---that is some 17 year old dude with his 15 year old girlfriend for instance gets his life ruined.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Yes, yes it is.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Not that I'm saying statutory rape should be necessarily legal.
But I mean c'mon. Do we REALLY need to post them as "sex offenders"?

There's a huge difference between being young and foolish and being a predator.

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

I don't know that much about law in USA. What does happen if someone underage kills a person?

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

They get thrown in jail. It's homicide. (killing someone else)

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Is it a normal jail or jail for underage people?

Re: Protecting Rapists because they are underage
 

Depends, lots of variables.