Murder, ransom at school avoided in Indiana

Link to INDY STAR

Greenwood -- A juvenile magistrate determined that conspiracy allegations against the 16-year-old ringleader of a thwarted plot to take over Center Grove High School and shoot people are true.

Police alleged the plot included killing the high school principal and holding more than 2,300 students and educators captive for ransom of up to $6 million.

Did these kids watch too many TV movies that they thought they could successfully get away, even if they did receive the ransom?

If found guilty, should a kid that does something like this go to prison for a longer period than until he is 21 years of age?

Johnson Circuit Judge Mark Loyd said the teen could be sentenced to the Indiana Department of Correction until he is 21.

For such a heinous action that would have to have included quite a bit of fore-planning, the fore-thought of killing the principal and the holding of 2,300 people for a ransom, all the kids involved should be tried as adults and sentenced accordingly if they are found guilty.

Thoughts?

JDub

Of course the children involved in this plot thought and actually believed that they would be able to carry out their plans. Even though a sixteen year old was involved, among others, this is evidence that youths simply do not think things out. Intellectually, many young teens are reactive. They do not always see the big picture or the consequences of their actions. And, unfortunately, there appears to be more and more evidence that these children are unduly influenced by what they witness in television shows and movies without regard for reality. Reality, it would seem, is a fleeting concept in the minds of immature teens. For them, reality is what they see, imagine and believe -- for the teen, it would seem, ignorance is bliss....reality bites.

Well I was posting my thoughts, then I stopped and reread. My thoughts have changed. As sick as it is, this is what kids do. They use their imagination and come up with some twisted stuff. This is overboard though, and the fact they were planning this out with fine details is something to be concerned with as well.

Originally I was thinking they should be tried as an adult and sentenced longer than 21, but now I would not agree with that. After reading that site, noone can prove that they were actually going to go through with it. Regardless of how much detail was thought out. There is a big difference between planning & acting.

As disturbing as this scenario is, I see it fitting that they be punished until they are 21 and hopefully they can be straightened out. Having them sit in a cell for a big portion of their life is not an answer.

Chissler -

Would it have made a difference to you in how long they are sentenced if they were all 21?

I can see your point that no one knows if the kids would have stopped their plan at the last moment before inception and no one would be hurt or endangered. My personal opinion is that, after all that planning, the kids would have gone ahead with it.

Thanks for your input, and you, too, Benevolent Tyrant.

JDub