BF2S Forums Children & Criminal Responsibility

I would say before 9, but there are so many hooks and exceptions and considerations to this arguement.  I do like the premise, though.

You've listed the specific example of murder, and for that I answered the question.  However, I believe that there should be different threshholds for different offenses really.  I would support the death penalty for a child convicted of an appropriately heinous crime.  I am not a believer in reabilitation in such instances as the death penalty is considered.  I am not a fan of life imprisonment.  It serves no purpose, and certainly not for a child.  If a child or anyone is deemed so unfit for society that they may never again be a part of it, why support their existence?

Children are brighter than they are given credit for.  That being said, I also beleive children are a product of nurture as much or more than nature and in certain instances the sins of the son should be delivered to the guardians.  Note I say guardians and not parents.

I don't know, even when I was 4 I knew killing/doing certain shit was an extremely bad thing. To say that someone as old as 9/10 wouldn't know any better is fucking insane.

Easier to get a young impressionable kid rehabilitated than an adult.

PuckMercury wrote:

jord wrote:

Easier to get a young impressionable kid rehabilitated than an adult.

it might be easier, but I'd still argue ultimatly not an attainable goal.  Some humans are just bad people.

I disagree I think it's a lot more nurture than nature. I really don't think you can be born as a "bad person".

everyone is always responsible for their own actions, regardless of age.  the reasons they acted can be influenced by a number of external factors though... parents or guardians can be to blame for certain actions, maybe even peer pressure, but ultimately, the person who acted is responsible.  i do think the consequences should fit the situation.

steelie34 wrote:

everyone is always responsible for their own actions, regardless of age.  the reasons they acted can be influenced by a number of external factors though... parents or guardians can be to blame for certain actions, maybe even peer pressure, but ultimately, the person who acted is responsible.  i do think the consequences should fit the situation.

3 year old sets a fire should they receive Arson and be punished accordingly?

Last edited by jord (2008-04-11 10:19:01)

Before 12 it's possible for children to know what they do is wrong, like in a few episodes of Law & Order: SVU.  The dilema is that if a 7 year old picks up a gun and shoots some other kid, it's entirely likely that with therapy and the like, they won't do anything like that again.  By the way on SVU I hate those female ADAs.  I'd like to punch them all in the face, they're all stuck up cunts.

jord wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

everyone is always responsible for their own actions, regardless of age.  the reasons they acted can be influenced by a number of external factors though... parents or guardians can be to blame for certain actions, maybe even peer pressure, but ultimately, the person who acted is responsible.  i do think the consequences should fit the situation.

3 year old sets a fire should they receive Arson and be punished accordingly?

no, obviously the punishment does not fit the crime.  surely it's not the 3 year old's fault he was left alone to play with matches.  he is responsible for starting the fire, but he is not responsible for being put in that situation.

you can legally kill them before they are born.  Punishment for making some whore fat can be death.

Last edited by Lotta_Drool (2008-04-11 12:35:14)

sergeriver wrote:

At what age do children know what is right and wrong?
When do they become responsible for their actions?
At what age should they be prosecuted under the same laws than an adult when they commit a crime?
Is a 9 years old kid who killed a person guilty?  What about his parents? 
For those who support death penalty, would you accept this punishment for a child who committed a hideous crime?  If so, which kind of crime and at what age?

At some level children know right and wrong very young, judging from my experience with my children. 

Depends on the action I guess.  Each individual is so unique I would hesitate to set an age.   

Depends on the crime and the existence of prior offenses.

Yes.  No, the parents are not guilty unless they trained him to be a killer. 

No.

I've known right from wrong since pre-school, it's really dependent on the parents.

I think that (with execptions) they should be held accountable earlier (I said 9-12), but maybe not make the punishments as severe.

This would help reinforce that there are consequenses for actions, and you need to think before you act.

of course parenting also plays a big role in this (IMO, duh...)