Police Cite Middle Schooler for Stealing Two Cookies

By Jeralyn, Section Juvenile Offenders
Posted on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 02:45:05 PM EST
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What's the proper response to a child that steals two cookies? Can it really be calling the police to issue her a citation?

Police cited a [14-year-old female]Bethlehem middle school student for stealing two cookies worth 50 cents from the cafeteria at the request of one of the student's parents, school officials said today.

True, she was on suspension for having stolen candy from a teacher's desk, and it was her parent who asked the school to call in the police, but this doesn't seem to me to be appropriate intervention.

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It reminds me of a time years ago I was in juvie court waiting for my client's case to be called, when the judge called the case of another kid, whom I just happened to know because he went to school with the TL kid. It was a curfew violation, and the judge issued the typical punishment...a deferred with community service. Then his mother, standing next to him, said to the Judge, "Can't you give him more than that?"

It's not necessary or desirable to involve the criminal justice system for every misdeed.

What would be better for the cookie heister? I'd suggest the parent insist she hand write a note of apology and then the parent accompany her on a visit to the person she stole from to deliver it in person.

[hat tip Scribe]

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Police Cite Middle Schooler for Stealing Two Cookies | 8 comments (8 topical)

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whatever happened (none / 0) (#1)
by Jen M on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 03:28:18 PM EST

to writing "I will not __" 500 times? No wonder the kids today don't know cursive.

How do we know..... (none / 0) (#2)
by kdog on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 03:43:46 PM EST

she only stole 2 cookies, she could have a whole cache of stolen sweets.

Better waterboard her...to be safe:)

Seriously though...are we uncapable of solving a problem without involving the authorities anymore? And what kind of parent sicks the cops on their own kid? I worry about people....I really do.

: Easy (none / 0) (#5)
by manys on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 04:32:58 PM EST

And what kind of parent sicks the cops on their own kid?
A bad one.

as much as the stupidly PC people will say this (none / 0) (#4)
by Nowonmai on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 04:29:57 PM EST

Is emotional 'abuse', making the child write an apology to the cafeteria and having her read it ALOUD in front of said group would have a more lasting effect than 'scaring' her with the police. Scaring her just might make her sneakier.

the doing 500 lines of 'I will not _ again." would also be a better method than scaring.

When I first read this (none / 0) (#6)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 04:35:25 PM EST

I read it that the daughter stole the cookies at the parent's request!

Anyway, my hunch is that there is a lot more going on with this girl than we know from the article. I'd be hard pressed to imagine a scenario in which I'd call the cops on my own kids, but then again, I'm not walking in either this kid's or her parent's shoes...

I hope you're kidding.... (none / 0) (#7)
by kdog on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 04:39:27 PM EST

You would really call the cops on your own kid?

I think that is just awful....it's like outsourcing your parental duties to the state. Not cool.

: terrible idea (none / 0) (#9)
by txpublicdefender on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 05:17:14 PM EST

Some parents are under the misguided notion that they can call the police to "scare" their kids, but once the police are called, it is out of their hands. I doubt the parents will think it was a good idea when their child gets turned down for jobs in the future because he or she has a theft conviction.

yeah, as a parent, i have a suspicion (none / 0) (#10)
by cpinva on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 09:08:32 PM EST

that there's a "rest of the story" here that we aren't aware of. as a rule, absent all the facts and/or clearly abusive behavior towards a child, i'm hesitant to criticize another parent's methods, with regards to their own children.

we don't live with that kid, and aren't responsible for her 24/7.