Common Ground Common Sense > A FELONY CHARGE FOR VIOLENT DRAWINGS?

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Common Ground Common Sense > Issues that Affect Our Lives > Civil Rights and Civil Liberties > Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Archive

so angry I could spit

Jan 26 2005, 05:29 PM

I want to see the fine folks of Ocala arresting any screenwriter/producer/director of violent TV shows or movies if they set foot in town:

QUOTE

Violent Drawings Lead to Felony Charges

OCALA, Fla. (AP) - Two boys were arrested for making pencil-and-crayon stick figure drawings depicting a 10-year-old classmate being stabbed and hung, police said. The children, charged with a felony, were taken from school in handcuffs.

The 9- and 10-year-old boys were arrested Monday and charged with making a written threat to kill or harm another person. They were also suspended from school.

One drawing showed the two boys standing on either side of the other boy and ``holding knives pointed through'' his body, according to a police report. The figures were identified by written names or initials.

Another drawing showed a stick figure hanging, tears falling from his eyes, with two other stick figures standing below him. Other pieces of scrap paper listed misspelled profanities and the initials of the boy who was allegedly threatened.

The boys' parents said they thought the children should be punished by the school and families, not the legal system.
Violent drawings lead to felony charges

watchingthewatchers

Jan 27 2005, 06:21 AM

QUOTE(so angry I could spit @ Jan 26 2005, 05:29 PM)

I want to see the fine folks of Ocala arresting any screenwriter/producer/director of violent TV shows or movies if they set foot in town:

Well, that's a little different, but I understand your frustration. It is not ridiculous to talk to the boys and find out what's going on in their heads, but it is completely asinine to charge them with a felony for drawing a stick-figure of a classmate. I understand when people feel revulsion at that sort of thing, but there are two main points:

1) They are likely bullies, or were just ostraizing the other child. This happens all the time, and needs to be addressed between students, teachers and parents, not the judicial system.

2) It's another case of big brother deciding what it's ok for us to feel. Charging these boys with a felony is just going to ruin their lives, and over what? An incident that could have been handled using parents, teachers, and counselors if necessary.

The whole thing makes me sick.

~A!

Chris

Jan 27 2005, 06:35 AM

I understand your frustration, but they threatened a *real* person, not some make believe character. You can't do that. And besides, our juvenile justice system is too lax and ineffective. They need to focus on rehabilitation more at the age.

so angry I could spit

Jan 27 2005, 07:16 PM

QUOTE(crward @ Jan 27 2005, 07:35 AM)

Did they actually threaten the other child that they were going to do what was drawn in the picture? I'm sorry, arresting them and dragging them to be charged is ridiculous. It is possible they are bullies, it is also possible the other child is a bully and they were working out their frustration/aggression in drawing. At that age, children most likely don't understand the implications and explaining the punishment in school and then having their parents handle more punishment would be appropriate for kids who do not have a history of acting out on this sort of aggression (if they do have a history, you get them into counseling).

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