Children arrested, DNA tested, interrogated and locked up... for playing in a tree

2 hours in a jail cell and the treatment they see on TV is most likely enough to give these kids a good reminder to stay on the right road from here on...
2 hours in cell is like school detention ffs.

If they got scared good, they'll remember it longer...

I've spent 2 hours in Army jail after "wandering" into a military place with my friends, I was 11... Taught us to stay out of the area for good. We were "exploring" the place for weeks before the MP Sargeant got us, but they were decent guys and didn't tell our parents or school... next time I was in the same cell was 9 years later when i was operating as Fake Terrorist for MP training...

Originally posted by timeless test
*sigh*

One more time... the police received multiple complaints from the public that kids were vandalising a tree ("stripping every branch from it") in an area with a history of anti social behaviour. How are they supposed to know the intent or detail of the action until they attend and investigate?

Should they have simply told them off and sent them on their way? - possibly, but we weren't there so we don't know. For example, we don't know how the kids reacted when they were approached - were they abusive or uncooperative? The report doesn't tell us because it's trying to make a point to support its broader political agenda.

um, they were 12 YEARS OLD. if you can show me a 12 year old that isn't scared out of their mind when confronted by police, i'll concede my argument.

and Voxel, my 'toughness' isn't the debate here, but if you'd like, i'll explain for your small-minded benefit.

being arrested, waking up in jail, is the single most shameful experience of my life. i'm not the kind of person to go around hurting other people without provocation, and the way i was raised dictates that being locked up and placed in a room with people who are labeled as criminals, and being treated as one, made me lose a lot of my own self respect. it's a matter of honor - i wasn't scared of these people, i can handle myself. being placed in jail for something so petty when you're not the kind of person to go out and cause trouble for others makes you feel about an inch tall. that is why it was the worst experience of my life.

Originally posted by 25cents
um, they were 12 YEARS OLD. if you can show me a 12 year old that isn't scared out of their mind when confronted by police, i'll concede my argument.

I don't know how well you know the UK but I can assure you that whilst Halesowen is far from the worst area there are 12 year olds in the "black country" suburbs of Birmingham that would scare me out of my mind.

Do not resort to personal insults.

That goes for everyone involved.

Please discuss the topic, and the opinions of your fellow members - it's infinitely more productive than flinging insults back and forth.

25cents
So the jail time did you what it was supposed to do?
Reminded you the way you're suppose to behave in civlised society?
Have you been wasted in public after that?

i quit drinking. i'm not saying that it didn't do me any good, and in my case, it was appropriate. the cops wouldn't have known that, as it's a bit complicated, but i'm not really all that upset that it happened - it was for the best in my case.

for these kids though...i highly doubt that this did them any good. a simple "knock it off, ya turds!" would've done them just fine. a little slip of paper as an 'official warning', maybe have their parents sign it - and be on your way. no need to bother with jail.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Do not resort to personal insults.

That goes for everyone involved.

Please discuss the topic, and the opinions of your fellow members - it's infinitely more productive than flinging insults back and forth.

noted, and i apologize.

Getting a cop to shout at you is concidered cool by most kids, getting a note from them is even cooler... at least it used to be around here, and we were the "good kids"

If scaring them a bit is going to keep them at the right track, then that should be done... some "community service" like trash picking at the scene would have been the best option, but i assume that the cops would have been sued for that...

the cops should be sued for this.

nothing is cool when the cops bring you home. not if you have parents that know how to discipline and teach you right from wrong. saying that jail was appropriate in this instance is basically allowing parents to slack off a bit in their duties to raise a child properly.

edit - nobody said the cops should have shouted at them. the officer should have approached the kids and simply explained to them that what they were doing could be considered a criminal offense and that they COULD be carted off to jail on charges. that would have been likely to change the kids actions in the future.

[edit on 3-8-2006 by 25cents]

Just a quotation:

In 1755 (Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, Tue, Nov 11, 1755), Benjamin Franklin wrote:
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

I suppose that it's easy for everyone to understand the above statement...

Originally posted by gedi
Benjamin Franklin wrote:
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

I think we can all learn from this... we can learn that Benjamin Franklin never had his garden vandalised by rowdy kids.

I can't believe there are people in here actually trying to justify this insanity.

Just goes to show how sick and authoritarian our culture is becoming.

It's weird enough that a bunch of kids get locked up for trying to make a freaking treehouse... but the fact that there are people who think this is perfectly normal simply boggles the mind.

Originally posted by timeless test

Originally posted by gedi
Benjamin Franklin wrote:
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

I think we can all learn from this... we can learn that Benjamin Franklin never had his garden vandalised by rowdy kids.

i don't recall the articale saying anything about the tree being private property...

Originally posted by 25cents
i don't recall the articale saying anything about the tree being private property...

For a fuller understanding of my comment please insert one of these, (, at the end.

Surely scaring a kid into not doing something again is good when it is something bad, but scaring a kid into not wanting to climb trees, make dens etc is just wrong, I grew up in the country and that was what we used to do, go out, play on our bmx's (never owned a bike lock) climb trees, build imaginary fortresses etc, and it did me no harm and like wise i was not doing anyone esle any harm either, well other than the odd tree branch and some ferns for a roof, lol.

Now if these kids had been attacking the tree with an axe, that woudl be different.


Also some one said there are 12 year olds that would scare the sh*t out of them, i know what he means but i very much doubt these kids have any intention of building a den in a cherry tree.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Thanks for posting this loam. I didn't have nearly enough rising bile earlier this evening. That problem has been remedied nicely.

Glad to be of service...just spreadin' the wealth.

I too am amazed some would defend the actions of law enforcement on this one. It explains much about our current predicament in the US. :shk:

The people of the U.K. need to act out the movie "V" for vandetta. Hey you guys in the U.K. Grow some nads, stand up for yourselves. You've got camera's everywhere, your vehicles are monitored, thanks alot. Now this crap spreads to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, & the U.S.
Get a pair will ya.
March on the finacial district of the city of London & burn down the bank of England & the temple Bar.

Originally posted by BattleofBatoche
March on the finacial district of the city of London & burn down the bank of England & the temple Bar.

haha...I don't think they've reached that point yet.

And at this point violence is not the answer.

And at this point violence is not the answer.

Speak for yourself.

I guess it's not quite as bad in the UK, but personally here in the US I can't wait for it to start. I guess I don't really feel like I have anything left to lose, and attempting to reason with people certainly isn't getting me anywhere.

i've got plenty to lose here in the US.

that's why i wanna get married with the quickness and move my ass to ireland. romantic notions and all.