Scarlet Letter-Style Sentences
[Guest post by DRJ]
A Houston couple that stole over $265,000 from a crime victims’ fund has been sentenced to jail, restitution, lengthy probation, and carrying “Thief” signs on weekends for 6 years:
“DA’s spokeswoman Donna Hawkins says the wife, when freed, must hold a sign in the Galleria area every Sunday, for six years, indicating she is a thief. The husband, when freed, must display a thief sign every Saturday during the period.”
Six years of weekends is a long time to carry a sign, but if they don’t I assume that would violate their probation and they could go to jail.
— DRJ
Hmmm … there is at least an argument that this is cruel and unusual. Then again, I’d have Lindsey Lohan in the village stocks, so maybe I shouldn’t fuss.
Kevin Murphy (5ae73e) — 7/10/2010 @ 8:50 pmHas the ACLU ben heard from yet ? It can’t be long.
Mike K (82f374) — 7/10/2010 @ 8:57 pmI don’t want to see that when I go shopping really.
happyfeet (19c1da) — 7/10/2010 @ 10:13 pmShaming and shuning are excellent vehicles to change behavior; we’ve lost sight of these truths.
AD - RtR/OS! (a25bb4) — 7/10/2010 @ 10:39 pmDunce caps, taped mouths, noses in chalk-circles on the chalk board, standing in the corner; all used in school before they were disallowed precisely because they shamed the poor innocent children. We know how well that turned out.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 7/10/2010 @ 11:16 pmnoses in chalk-circles on the chalk board, standing in the corner
I have done both of these in my classroom.
I firmly believe in shame. I once had a chronic problem in my class (grades and behavior) where nothing else worked. So the next time she acted up, I shamed her.
The parents were in my principal’s office the next day. They were demanding an apology, and a schedule change. They only got the schedule change, and neither the girl’s behavior nor grades improved.
Two years later, her younger sister came in to my class, behaved and did her work….and got straight A’s.
gahrie (ed7a50) — 7/10/2010 @ 11:25 pmProverbs 22:6
Using the discipline and shame at an early age and consistently will prevent a great deal of the troubles with “problem children” we see in today’s high school students and graduates. Eschewing the discipline and shame will lead to a great deal of the troubles with “problem children” we see today. It’s all in which way you train the children. Unpunished behavior is accepted behavior; punished behavior is unaccepted behavior.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 7/10/2010 @ 11:41 pmSex, Drugs, and Rock&Roll have given us tremendous roll models.
AD - RtR/OS! (a25bb4) — 7/11/2010 @ 1:05 amI will look for updates and take a pic of them someday. Hopefully.
Bradnsa (980254) — 7/11/2010 @ 1:24 amIt would violate Illinois’s sentencing rules.
No whimsy by judges allowed.
nk (db4a41) — 7/11/2010 @ 5:17 amChicago definitely needs some whimsy if that’s what shame is called up there.
PatAZ (9d1bb3) — 7/11/2010 @ 9:08 amChicago is not Illinois.
nk (db4a41) — 7/11/2010 @ 9:45 amAnd how are you all, on this beautiful Sunday?
nk (db4a41) — 7/11/2010 @ 9:47 amRe: post #8, indeed, AD.
But I still think this was a great little band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBLeVcP_JQg
GeneralMalaise (9cf017) — 7/11/2010 @ 9:55 amGee I have a candy bar you might want to buy now, too. It tastes kind of like a Baby Ruth, but it has fewer nuts and costs 3 times as much. Right up your alley.
Christopher Taylor (eb6bf9) — 7/11/2010 @ 10:14 amtaylor’s nightmare when
ColonelHaiku (9cf017) — 7/11/2010 @ 2:26 pmthey empty pool because of
his indiscretion
I had a middle school teacher who made kids who didn’t do their homework sit out in the hallway with a sign that said “I did not do my homework”.
rochf (ae9c58) — 7/12/2010 @ 8:19 amNo one had to do it twice. I’m sure now she’d be sued or fired, but everyone learned how to read and write.
What do you know? Actual consequences for stealing from indigents…..I think the 6 year term of the punishment, and the public scorn will do a lot to change their behaviors, if they want to change….
Gabby (df70b7) — 7/12/2010 @ 1:08 pm