The Cellar - View Single Post - Yes, the banning of the juvenile death penalty was...

bluesdave · 05-23-2005, 11:17 PM

I grew up in the 50s and 60s when corporal punishment was standard practise, both at home and at school. I still sometimes wish that I could get one or two of my old teachers in a back room somewhere and give them a taste of what they gave me, but I realise that this is ridiculous.

I think that the trouble is that the pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other. Now kids are given almost no discipline, and they can even "divorce" their parents (become emancipated - I think that's the term). Add to that the level of violence that kids see every day in TV shows (CSI, Law & Order etc), and what do you expect? They become insensitive to violence, they know their legal rights, and what they can expect from the court system (they see it every day on TV - it's like a manual for crime).

As Jag quite correctly points out, cases such as the one cited by Lady Sidhe are not common, but violent acts by teenagers are on the rise, nevertheless. I don't have any magic solution, but I think the answer starts at home. Even with all the "bad" kids you hear about, there still seems to be a majority out there who grow up to be at least reasonably responsible people. I don't know how you turn a bad parent into a good one.

I'm starting to sound like a Bush supporter. That's a worry.

05-23-2005, 11:17 PM	#5
bluesdave Getting older every day Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 308	I grew up in the 50s and 60s when corporal punishment was standard practise, both at home and at school. I still sometimes wish that I could get one or two of my old teachers in a back room somewhere and give them a taste of what they gave me, but I realise that this is ridiculous. I think that the trouble is that the pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other. Now kids are given almost no discipline, and they can even "divorce" their parents (become emancipated - I think that's the term). Add to that the level of violence that kids see every day in TV shows (CSI, Law & Order etc), and what do you expect? They become insensitive to violence, they know their legal rights, and what they can expect from the court system (they see it every day on TV - it's like a manual for crime). As Jag quite correctly points out, cases such as the one cited by Lady Sidhe are not common, but violent acts by teenagers are on the rise, nevertheless. I don't have any magic solution, but I think the answer starts at home. Even with all the "bad" kids you hear about, there still seems to be a majority out there who grow up to be at least reasonably responsible people. I don't know how you turn a bad parent into a good one. I'm starting to sound like a Bush supporter. That's a worry. __________________ History is a great teacher; it is a shame that people never learn from it.