I just saw a Nova program about elevators where this guy was stuck in an elevator for 41 hours and there were paid humans on duty the entire time who had video they never looked at.
Here's the story:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/trapped-in-an-elevator-captured-on-video/
A motion detector would have more reliably sounded the alarm or some electronic sensor indicating the elevator was stuck. I have to wonder sometimes if people in old industries like this know what's going on.
Of course you're right that in general people must be held accountable for their crimes. However, it's somewhat different for children, who need and deserve some protection from the stupid things they do in their youth.
I fully support the punishment of the children, and any and all legal ramifications they receive, but I don't believe they should be help accountable forever. I suspect that when these kids go for jobs in 10 years, the first result in Google will be the post with their names and their foolish youthful actions.
Because while I was maybe mischievous, I wasn't a malicious little shit doing pointlessly antagonistic and destructive things.
The part were you are an arsonist, run a medicare fraud ring, and have stolen millions from investors will be so far back in the Google results it will be like it never happened.
I just think that someone so blatantly being a jackass, and being filmed in the act, deserves all the publicity that they get. I'm not suggesting we burn these kids at the stake or tattoo their crimes on their forehead. I just fail to see why anyone should bemoan their potentially besmirched reputation. Boo. Hoo.
In olden times when we lived in small villages, yes people knew when someone was being an asshole. And they remembered. One more disincentive against bad behavior.
And people know they are dealing with a young person and the potential to grow out of it. All the more reason to make the consequences immediate and not have them learn they can treat badly without consequence.
I am. I don't think a fine effectively gets across the point that battery and vandalism are crimes, not minor violations like jaywalking. $200 is a speeding ticket, and to some upper-middle class teenagers, little more than pocket change. Three days in jail (or juvenile detention), on the other hand is most likely a novel and frightening experience that's actually likely to discourage similar behavior in the future.
> some upper-middle class teenagers, little more
> than pocket change
> Three days in jail (or juvenile detention), on
> the other hand is most likely a novel and frightening
> experience that's actually likely to discourage similar
> behavior in the future.
Actually it won't be... Google works like the world does. If these kids were to do more valuable things with there time and be recognized for that, then these pages with fall in their ranking.
Are you saying that these kids should be admitted into college over kids that don't throw rocks at people and destroy other people's property?
and perhaps it will be a lesson to parents to know what their kid is up to. Its the mom thats really complained here and again, its better to suffer the embarrassment when its about something minor
Of course, I'm joking. I applaud the posting.
We had a similar thing near here where a package thief was recorded making her rounds. And the thieves among us commented how terrible it was that she was put on public display for her crimes.
This actually foreshadows a future where petty crime becomes very difficult. Not only will there be more cameras, but software will improve to the point where it can recognize suspicious behavior and unrecognized persons and anticipate crime. Maybe even zoom in on it, call other mobile cameras to the scene to capture the action from multiple angles, track the criminal until law enforcement can get to them, alerting the neighbors to steer clear.And criminals will have their countermeasures. Burglaries may be performed by robots that fly into your garage as the door closes when you leave for the office.