Mike
F*** Socialism!
Here’s a good true story to pass on to your younger kids - if for no other reason than as a warning. It has had an impact on my 11 year old son’s life and hopefully by sharing this info, it can help someone else from doing this to themselves.
Back in June (2007) my son and his friend (same age, I believe) decided to go out to a wooded area in our community (White Oak Village – Waldorf) and start a fire to toast some marshmallows. The friend took matches from his house. My son (I thought) knew better than to burn w/o parental guidance, but unfortunately boys will be boys.
As they put out the tiny fire they started which amounted to a small area, members of the Charles County Sheriff’s office stumbled on them and took them into custody. They took the two boys home and gave my wife papers stating my son is being charged with “malicious burning.” And we would be contacted by Social Services to make a court appearance. I was at work at the time, but my wife called me and I spoke with one of the officers, who led me to believe there was significant damage done to the woods by the fire. I was assured no one was hurt and there was no property damage aside from the handful of charred leaves.
When I got home, I had my son take me to the scene of the “crime” and truthfully almost laughed out loud when I saw the tiny area of blackened leaves. In reality there was are charred area in the woods no larger than 1 foot by 1 foot.
Nonetheless, I reprimanded my son and really read him the riot act on how easily the fire could have gotten out of control and the possible destruction and God forbid death that could have resulted in what they had done. Between being caught by the officers and the butt chewing from my wife and I, that was probably all necessary to correct the crime – I also added in grounding, limited contact with his friend and a promise for more restrictions of a much greater magnitude if he ever played with fire again w/o adult supervision. I really caused him to have a less-than-fun summer vacation.
Finally, the papers came for the court appearance (a month after the incident.) We took him to juvenile services in LaPlata to meet with and Intake officer that would decide on what option to take over this offense.
The Intake officer was very professional and further berated the dangers of playing with fire and how this charge will remain on his “permanent record.”
His punishment boiled down to a 90 day probation period, 24 hours of parental supervised community service, and he has to write a letter of apology to the White Oak Village HOA for the incident. As I sat there and tried to inject that he has learned his lesson and I had punished enough already my comments fell on uncaring ears.
Don’t get me wrong, I know what my child did was wrong and potentially disastrous, but I think the system and charge (dictionary.com defines malicious as: “vicious, wanton, or mischievous in motivation or purpose.”
Yeas, it’s true they were being careless, but they actually had water nearby to douse the fire and they did completely extinguish the fire before the officers caught them.
I know the officers, both Sheriff and Juvenile Intake performed their duties very well, but I can’t help but feel it was overkill considering the facts around this “crime.”
And, I guess I am bitter about my son having this act listed as a crime of “malicious burning” on his permanent record.
Petty to say this, I know, but I wish the Charles County system went after legal age criminals with the same vigor and even more importantly, proportional “sentences" - it might really take a bite out of crime.
--Mike
Back in June (2007) my son and his friend (same age, I believe) decided to go out to a wooded area in our community (White Oak Village – Waldorf) and start a fire to toast some marshmallows. The friend took matches from his house. My son (I thought) knew better than to burn w/o parental guidance, but unfortunately boys will be boys.
As they put out the tiny fire they started which amounted to a small area, members of the Charles County Sheriff’s office stumbled on them and took them into custody. They took the two boys home and gave my wife papers stating my son is being charged with “malicious burning.” And we would be contacted by Social Services to make a court appearance. I was at work at the time, but my wife called me and I spoke with one of the officers, who led me to believe there was significant damage done to the woods by the fire. I was assured no one was hurt and there was no property damage aside from the handful of charred leaves.
When I got home, I had my son take me to the scene of the “crime” and truthfully almost laughed out loud when I saw the tiny area of blackened leaves. In reality there was are charred area in the woods no larger than 1 foot by 1 foot.
Nonetheless, I reprimanded my son and really read him the riot act on how easily the fire could have gotten out of control and the possible destruction and God forbid death that could have resulted in what they had done. Between being caught by the officers and the butt chewing from my wife and I, that was probably all necessary to correct the crime – I also added in grounding, limited contact with his friend and a promise for more restrictions of a much greater magnitude if he ever played with fire again w/o adult supervision. I really caused him to have a less-than-fun summer vacation.
Finally, the papers came for the court appearance (a month after the incident.) We took him to juvenile services in LaPlata to meet with and Intake officer that would decide on what option to take over this offense.
The Intake officer was very professional and further berated the dangers of playing with fire and how this charge will remain on his “permanent record.”
His punishment boiled down to a 90 day probation period, 24 hours of parental supervised community service, and he has to write a letter of apology to the White Oak Village HOA for the incident. As I sat there and tried to inject that he has learned his lesson and I had punished enough already my comments fell on uncaring ears.
Don’t get me wrong, I know what my child did was wrong and potentially disastrous, but I think the system and charge (dictionary.com defines malicious as: “vicious, wanton, or mischievous in motivation or purpose.”
Yeas, it’s true they were being careless, but they actually had water nearby to douse the fire and they did completely extinguish the fire before the officers caught them.
I know the officers, both Sheriff and Juvenile Intake performed their duties very well, but I can’t help but feel it was overkill considering the facts around this “crime.”
And, I guess I am bitter about my son having this act listed as a crime of “malicious burning” on his permanent record.
Petty to say this, I know, but I wish the Charles County system went after legal age criminals with the same vigor and even more importantly, proportional “sentences" - it might really take a bite out of crime.
--Mike
