Crime, Misdemeanor, Stealing? Please answer if you have experience in these subjects.?

Question

My neighborhood is starting a community watch. Our neighborhood is really a quiet and a peaceful community. Some of the neighbors there started a community watch because some people moved in and "are causing trouble." One of the cases are that a person's car got stolen. They eventually found the car but not the people who stole it. They found the car just a few blocks away. Another is that someone broke into a person's house during Halloween while they were away. They stole a flat screen tv and jewelry. Recently while on a community watch some of the people review a surveillance tape and found someone stealing chocolate from the local gas station. They want to press charges. I personally think that is going to far. I know the kid who did it and he really doesn't cause much trouble. I think this is just a kid like behavior. Maybe his friends dared him or he just felt compelled to do something like that. I don't think is is worthy of pressing charges on him.

I think that the manager of the gas station just wants to tell others not to steal from his business. Also I don't believe that someone can press charges over stealing something this small. We have a meeting the day after tomorrow to decide what should be this kid's punishment. I personally think that he has to pay the gas station back and maybe a few hours of community service. Some the members there want to involve the police. I don't think something like this is even considered a misdemeanor. Or worthy of a fine or punishment. What is your views on this subject and what should be this kids punishment?

This kid is like 15 or 16. He plays for the high school basketball team and is really friendly and a nice kid. I talked to him once and he told me that me makes good grades and has a great desire to go to college and play basketball there. What should be this kid's punishment?

Answer 1

The gas station is the one to press charges, not the community watch group. If I owned the gas station, I would ask the police to bring the kid down to my business, show him the tape and say, "I'm not going to press charges, but you are going to work off what you stole" - for some reasonable amount of time like a couple of hours one afternoon after school - doing something not fun, like cleaning the rest rooms - " And if you ever steal from me again, I'll ask the officer here to arrest you. Understood?"

That sort of thing works.

Answer 2

It's appropriate to press charges against a child caught stealing. It might seem unduly harsh, but the juvenile system is set up to handle situations like this. If a child gets away with stealing, it encourages him to continue, and the behavior could likely get worse. If he gets caught and pays a price, it will probably be the end of it. And the juvenile penalties are way less than if he gets caught later - and his record will be expunged if he gets into no more trouble.

Answer 3

No, you should press charges, now. But follow with the child. Stealing is wrong and if he is being dared to do it then he could be dared to commit murder. If he just felt compeeled to steal then he could feel compelled to commit murder. Address it, mainly I am trying to say. Scare the crap out of the little snot!