Paying to get rid of the charges sounds like textbook extortion. ANyway, in an ideal world the kid would get the message and be put on a straight path. In reality, thug assholes get their thug assholes to go Aaron Hernandez on you.
This might be a good time to think about installing a surveillance cam, in case there is any kind of retribution.
To set the stage, I have a small home with a carport. I have had an old mountain bike under said carport for about...hmm 2 years.
I came home from work, was inside with my wife talking etc. She goes out to the laundry room which is off the carport to change things from the washer to the dryer etc etc. She in this time notices the bike is MISSING. Calls for me to see whats up if I had moved the bike etc. NOPE the bike was there when I got home an hour ago, where is it? STOLEN. Call the few neighbors I have the phone #'s for and see if they have seen or heard anything, nothing except for one who mentioned she had seen a lot of neighbor kids walking about lately (summer I take it)
I didn't care much about the bike, but the neighbor had said to report it just so the local PD know what is going on in the neighborhood so I go ahead and do so, sheriff's dept shows up and takes my report etc, finds out we were HOME and it was under the carport, says how it is a 2nd degree felony as a burglary with occupation of home. The neighbor directly across the street (the only one I didn't contact) came over and said how she saw someone etc etc. She files her statement after me, the cop left her home and pretty much immediately after leaving her home came back to my house and asked me to follow him up the road where the neighbor suspected the kids lived, I do so and pull up on a home a few blocks up the road where the "kids" who did this live, sure enough the bike is right inside the fence against the home. The officer who took my report called to make sure we know for a fact that the bike went missing today because the mother is saying the bike in question has been "shared" with the local kids for the past few weeks. I say BS I know it went missing today. Later on, another cop comes back after a bit and says how the kids and family are outside and want to "apologize" and return the bike to me. I say no thanks I could careless what the kids have to say, go ahead and press the charges ( already filled out the report and intent to prosecute ).
The officer returns later with my bike and paper to fill out confirming I received the stolen goods. The "kid" is 17, in the patrol car on the way to the jail! Sounds good I say and close the door.
What would you have done? I could careless about a bike, I care about the fact that my wife was home all day and even I was home at the time of the theft and the perp did it anyway.
I didn't fall for the "apology please drop the charges" trap they tried to set....have a good time in jail and enjoy your summer, hope your parents have fun bailing you out and paying all the your future legal fees....
WWYD? lol
Sounds like you were acting like quite the dick about something you didn't even care about. Jail time doesn't fix people, it doesn't fix the situation, it doesn't make the world a better place. Forgiveness and mercy, however, is much more likely to make an impact on the kid's life. Even if it doesn't hit home right away, later in his life he'll remember. You had an opportunity to affect another person's life, and chose to make it worse. You might tell yourself that they made that choice, but that's not true. You are responsible for your own actions too. Think about it.
we aren't talking about a 10 year old here. He's 17, definitely not a kid.
Everyone is someone's kid. Age is irrelevant.
Not in the eyes of the law.
I'm talking about criminal charges for juveniles vs. adults. 17 is an adult when it comes to most crimes.The law didn't press charges, he did.
Awful lot of pushovers in this thread. Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding. Up to this point who knows what he was getting away with, so he thinks hey crappy bike I can do this too and then bam, guess not. Reality check!
Even if there is "retribution" in a way do they dare do much to him? It would be painfully obvious who is doing what if they did try to pull any stunts.
He's 17, he knows better by now. Plus, if the parent lied also, they're all in it together anyway.
Everyone is someone's kid. Age is irrelevant.
Sounds like you were acting like quite the dick about something you didn't even care about. Jail time doesn't fix people, it doesn't fix the situation, it doesn't make the world a better place. Forgiveness and mercy, however, is much more likely to make an impact on the kid's life. Even if it doesn't hit home right away, later in his life he'll remember. You had an opportunity to affect another person's life, and chose to make it worse. You might tell yourself that they made that choice, but that's not true. You are responsible for your own actions too. Think about it.
I understand your desire to punish the "kid", but if the whole family is degenerates (sounds like it if the mom was lying to the sheriff), then don't they know where you live?
I mean, they can really make your life miserable if they want to. I'm not saying that I wouldn't have done the same thing, but did you consider the "revenge costs" associated with pressing charges?
What, good citizens are suppose to be intimidated by degenerates, thugs, and criminals???
No wonder things are going to shit.
We need MORE people like the OP who stand up for themselves and definitively state that stealing property is not ok. Period.
I came home from work, was inside with my wife talking etc. She goes out to the laundry room which is off the carport to change things from the washer to the dryer etc etc. She in this time notices the bike is MISSING. Calls for me to see whats up if I had moved the bike etc. NOPE the bike was there when I got home an hour ago, where is it? STOLEN....
... The neighbor directly across the street (the only one I didn't contact) came over and said how she saw someone etc etc. She files her statement after me, the cop left her home and pretty much immediately after leaving her home came back to my house and asked me to follow him up the road where the neighbor suspected the kids lived, ...
What would you have done? I could careless about a bike, I care about the fact that my wife was home all day and even I was home at the time of the theft and the perp did it anyway.
WWYD? lol
Sounds like you were acting like quite the dick about something you didn't even care about. Jail time doesn't fix people, it doesn't fix the situation, it doesn't make the world a better place. Forgiveness and mercy, however, is much more likely to make an impact on the kid's life. Even if it doesn't hit home right away, later in his life he'll remember. You had an opportunity to affect another person's life, and chose to make it worse. You might tell yourself that they made that choice, but that's not true. You are responsible for your own actions too. Think about it.