A 7-Year-Old Was Accused of Rape. Is Arresting Him the Answer?
Little is known about the circumstances of the arrest, the specifics of the allegations or the case’s disposition. The records of cases involving children are kept private. But in New York, the arrest reignited a discussion about how the justice system deals with so-called young offenders.
Judges, juvenile justice experts and lawyers who have handled such cases from both sides of the courtroom say arrests traumatize children, ensnare them in the legal system and increase their chance of recidivism. Arresting children so young, they say, ignores the science of brain development and in an attempt to seek justice often achieves the opposite result.
“What we know now is that the science doesn’t support prosecution of second graders,” said Dawne Mitchell, who leads the Legal Aid Society’s juvenile rights practice. Citing cognitive science that shows such young children lack true awareness of the consequences of their actions, and that emphasizes the psychological trauma of being cuffed and prosecuted, Mitchell is one of a growing number of experts across the country urging states to raise their age minimums.
Why follow the science now? We’ve all been saying for years, even decades, that the science fails to support sex offender registries. Science also fails to support government lockdowns, forced vaccinations, etc. Yet, people in power usually crave more power, which appears to be the case in charging a mentally undeveloped child of this tender age. Who knows how this will traumatize the child and how that trauma will manifest in the future? Better to let experts in the fields of child psychology and development handle this.
This is an opportunity to explore all the science not just the science on this one specific topic. They’re always has to be a catalyst for change and this could be the one if it is handled correctly by the right people. And heard by the right people.
The real questions revolve around where the child got the idea in the first place. At such a young age, it’s more likely someone close to him had either been molesting him or he’s found some adult oriented recreational visual literature. I’d start with the parents and work my way out. Using therapy. And there is NO good reason for this child to be on any registry or have this attached to him in any way for any amount of time. Therapy.
Our lawmakers, judges and prosecutors don’t give a damn about a child acting out what they may have learned through being molested. Children who are molested are coddled and people say “Poor kid will be messed up for life” but what exactly do they mean by “messed up”? Because suddenly the coddling and sympathy stops when the child/teen/adult is so “messed up” that they act out on someone else what was done to them.
I couldn’t read the article because I’m not giving that news organization any money for a subscription. What exactly did this 7 yr old even do? Did he penetrate someone? Or did he “touch” inappropriately? Many people (I won’t mention of which political party) these days love to refer to everything as “rape”.
But if someone can give info from the article for those of us not subscribed, it would be appreciated.
Meanwhile in Florida, a former candidate for public office, who was an adult, raped a child and only got probation. No mention of sex offender registration.
Former Seminole County judicial candidate gets house arrest for sex with teen
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/06/03/former-seminole-county-judicial-candidate-gets-house-arrest-for-sex-with-teen/
That adult is part of the SYSTEM – different rules for them as we have seen time and time again.
That pervert had his fun and got off – now he gets off again with a slap on the wrist!
Arrest and prosecution work for offenders. Children and minor offenders need processing outside the Crim J system. It does scar families for life, and does serve as double jeapardy. The Registry serves as double jeapardy. Our scholarship proves it serves no purpose. As human beings and educated, as students of our Constitution and Founding Fathers, and just men and women, we should be smarter than we seem to be. On many issues, we seem bigoted, bias, misled, uneducated, uninvolved in the lives of others and the impact our actions cause, and political. What will it take to make our representatives honest,with integrity, and considerate of the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of others?
Did the cops put their knee on his neck? Did they give him a few lumps for “resisting”.
I salute these brave cops that took down this dangerous 7 year-old.
Before I go to sleep each night, I pray for these brave cops that keep these dangerous 7 year-olds off of the street and make us oh so much safer.