Osler's Razor

"However, what of mercy? I cannot tell you how the conflicting values of justice and mercy can be brought into perfect harmony, but I do believe that there must be some role for mercy, particularly where the very young are involved. At the least, we must file off the harshest cutting burrs, which serve only our anger.

Beyond justice and mercy, what of humility? We would like to justify these sentences by thinking of these children as pure evil, but there is an arrogance in that. Too often, what we see as pure evil in a child is very much the product of what we have tolerated in our community of adults. Humility, too, pushes us toward change."
Beautifully said, Mark. I had to read those sentences twice to make sure I fully understood them, but it was worth it. Blessings on your quest. Bob
 

Marc, I like the articles and am a fan of most of your writings but I have a few questions

How far do the "reasonable opportunities to be released" go? Where do we classify mentally challenged individuals who are older than 14? Do we treat people with a certain age or IQ on same level?
 

"Marc?"
 

Apologies.. Mark*
 

It's a relief to read a piece against juvenile life without parole which at least recognizes that victims of the heinous crimes which underly these sentences have a stake, and should have a voice, in the determination of those sentences. That is rare, and welcome.
 

How do you mend the moral compass of an imprisoned child, when they didn't have a moral compass to begin with? I imagine most juvenile criminals have a background of adult neglect, some literally neglected and left to grow like weeds and some neglected because the adults in their lives were themselves morally reckless and irresponsible. How will life behind metal bars, barbed-wire fences and dismal concrete walls, teach them about morality and about love and humanity? Just the process of aging and by that acquiring the physiology of an adult brain doesn't necessarily mean that the right and wrong synapses somehow start firing justly. I'm sure there are cases and cases and not everybody could be jammed together, but I'm still not convinced about those who have no moral basis to grow on, least of all in a penitentiary environment.
 

But... despite the neglect and lack of moral compass...(which I understand and empathize with immensely), where do consequences of action come into play?

I'm on the fence with this one...
 

Anon 8:51, when I wonder about mending a moral compass, I'm not implicitly suggesting these kids should get away with murder. In fact I think the root of all sorts of misdeeds stems from failing to enforce consequences, that both kids and adults become repeat offenders simply because they got away with it time and again. What I grapple with is the fact that I think growing up to be adults for some of these children does not mean that if they got out of prison they would not murder again. Do I make sense?
 

Marta: complete sense. it's what I struggle with too... which is why I'm on the fence...
 

Marc is Mark's French doppelganger,devoted to enslaving the world with his irresistibly decadent baguette which clouds reason with the merest taste. Combine with Camembert and...